College basketball: Lucy Olsen, nation's No. 3 scorer, to transfer to Iowa

April 18 (UPI) -- Lucy Olsen, who averaged the third-most points in women's college basketball last season, will transfer to Iowa from Villanova, she announced on social media.

"New beginnings," Olsen wrote Wednesday on her Instagram and X post, which showed her wearing a Hawkeyes uniform.

Olsen's 23.3 points per game in 2023-24 trailed only former Hawkeyes star Caitlin Clark (31.6) and USC freshman JuJu Watkins (27.1).

The two-time All-Big East selection also averaged 4.8 rebounds and 3.8 assists per game over her 35 appearances for the 22-13 Wildcats last season.

Olsen averaged 12.4 points, 4.4 assists and 4.1 rebounds per game over 37 appearances in 2022-23 during her sophomore campaign for the Wildcats.

The junior guard will attempt to lead the Hawkeyes, who lost Clark and fellow senior guard Kate Martin on Monday in the 2024 WNBA Draft.

Martin averaged 13.1 points and 6.8 rebounds per game last season for the Hawkeyes. The Hawkeyes also lost senior guards Gabbie Marshall (6.1 points per game) and Molly Davis (5.9 points per game) this off-season.

Sophomore forward Hannah Stuelke, who averaged the second-most points (14) per game for the Hawkeyes, expects to return in 2024-25.

The Hawkeyes also signed five-star prospect Addison Deal, a 6-foot guard from Mater Dei High School in Santa Ana, Calif., as part of their class of 2025.

Journey Houston, a 5-foot-11 guard out of Davenport North High School in Davenport, Iowa, also is part of the 2025 class. She is a four-star prospect, according to ESPN.