IOWA CITY, Iowa – Former Iowa guard Lucy Olsen was selected by the Washington Mystics with the 23rd pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft.
The 5-foot-10 Olsen, who played her first three seasons in college for Villanova before transferring to Iowa last summer, made first-team All-Big Ten in her only season as a Hawkeye. She led Iowa in scoring (17.9) and assists (162) and finished second on team with 54 3-point baskets and third on the team with 40 steals.
Iowa finished 23-10 overall and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
This marks the second year in a row that at least one former Hawkeye was picked in the WNBA Draft.
Caitlin Clark was selected first overall by the Indiana Fever in the 2024 draft, while guard Kate Martin was picked 18th overall by the Las Vegas Aces.
Clark would go on to be named the WNBA Rookie of the Year.
Iowa’s Jan Jensen Shows Lucy Olsen Love After Selection by Mystics in WNBA Draft
Iowa Hawkeyes coach Jan Jensen shouted Lucy Olsen out after she was selected by the Washington Mystics in the 2025 WNBA Draft.
The 2025 WNBA Draft has now come and gone, and 38 young women just had their dreams of getting placed in the world’s premier women’s professional basketball league realized.
There weren’t too many surprises in the first round, as all the big names went in spots that were more or less expected. But there were several heartwarming stories that occurred in the second round and more later on that have many fan bases feeling sentimental.
One of these is with the Iowa Hawkeyes. This women’s basketball program could not have imagined a better 2024 WNBA Draft, as Caitlin Clark was taken No. 1 overall and then Kate Martin, somewhat unexpectedly, went No. 18 overall to the Las Vegas Aces.
For Hawkeyes’ only hope this season was star guard Lucy Olsen. And they had their wish granted, as Olsen was selected by the Washington Mystics with the draft’s No. 23 pick.
It didn’t take long for Iowa head coach Jan Jensen to make her feelings about this draft pick known, as she made an X post that wrote, “Another Hawkeye is heading to the @wnba … @LucyOlsenbball is heading to The Washington Mystics!🙌🏼 Let’s Goooo!!!! We’re so happy for you, Luce! And, we love you! 😊 @WashMystics you got a good one! Enjoy her! We sure did! 🖤💛”.
While Olsen might be facing an uphill battle when it comes to winning a roster spot, anybody who watched her compete during her lone season at Iowa knows that she’s talented enough to eventually become an impact player in the WNBA. And that’s surely what she’s now striving for.
