Tag: Iowa Hawkeyes

Who is Lucy Olsen? Meet the Iowa guard leading the Hawkeyes in the post-Caitlin Clark era

Lucy Olsen won’t be Caitlin Clark. And she doesn’t have to be.

The Iowa Hawkeyes will enter a transformation when its 2024-2025 season starts Wednesday.

Caitlin Clark, the generational hooper who changed the fabric of Iowa, is now in the WNBA, leaving the proverbial door wide open for someone else to walk through it.

Enter Lucy Olsen — the Pennsylvania native and senior guard who transferred to Iowa in the offseason after three seasons with the Villanova Wildcats. Olsen seemingly takes over for Clark, stepping into the spotlight to keep the Hawkeyes on the path to title contention.

Will Iowa get back to the national championship game with Lucy Olsen leading the team in a post-Caitlin Clark era? That remains to be seen. But now is a good time to familiarize yourself with the player leading the charge.

1. Lucy Olsen picked the Iowa Hawkeyes for the team’s family culture

Former Iowa’s women’s basketball coach Lisa Bluder greets Lucy Olsen after practice Tuesday, July 16, 2024 in Iowa City, Iowa. (Julia Hansen/Iowa City Press-Citizen-USA TODAY NETWORK)

Why would Lucy Olsen pick Iowa as her next destination, knowing she would have so many expectations — fair or unfair — placed on her?

Former coach Lisa Bluder and the Hawkeyes seemed to have fostered a warm and inviting culture. From a quick phone call right after she transferred to a Zoom meeting with her parents, Iowa was all in on Lucy Olsen. That notion was only reinforced when she met the team in person.

“When we got on campus for a visit, I was like, ‘Wow, this feels like family already,'” Olsen told Chad Leistikow of the Des Moines Register earlier this year. “There was something about the culture they’ve built (that) felt so like home. That’s what sold me.”

https://www.instagram.com/p/C54XgCXuAiC/?igsh=dmVuMXF0ancybmpw

2. Lucy Olsen isn’t trying to be Caitlin Clark

Iowa’s Lucy Olsen (33) reacts during a game against Missouri Western Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2024 at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City, Iowa. (Julia Hansen/Iowa City Press-Citizen/USA TODAY NETWORK)

Stepping in behind Caitlin Clark (and her legacy) can feel daunting. But Lucy Olsen isn’t trying to fill Clark’s shoes.

“Caitlin Clark is Caitlin Clark. I’m not going to try to be her,” Olsen said. “But they need a point guard, and it’s a perfect opportunity to try to make something happen.”

To her credit, Olsen holds her own on the court, which is a huge reason why she was also heavily pursued by schools like LSU and Maryland when she entered the transfer portal. The senior guard was third in Division I women’s basketball scoring last season, just behind Clark and JuJu Watkins, averaging an impressive 23.3 points per game.

3. Lucy Olsen brings her own unique game to the Iowa Hawkeyes

Iowa’s Lucy Olsen (33) sets up a play against Missouri Western Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2024 at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City, Iowa. (Julia Hansen/Iowa City Press-Citizen-USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)

Lucy Olsen works very well in the midrange and has a patented stepback fadeaway jumper that should get some real shine this season. It’s her go-to move, unleashing it from multiple spots within the arc. She’s also a willing three-point shooter despite only shooting 30 percent from deep last year.

Also, Olsen has plenty of basketball experience that should lend well to a young Iowa team. In addition to three productive seasons at Vilanova, where she finished her career ranking ninth all-time in scoring with 1,504 points, Olsen has also played on the international stage. She’s been playing for Team USA Basketball for nearly two years and won a gold medal at the 2023 FIBA 3×3 U23 Nations League Final.

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How to buy UCLA Bruins vs. Iowa Hawkeyes football tickets

Want to watch the UCLA Bruins vs. Iowa Hawkeyes in person on Friday, Nov. 8? Tickets still remain for as little as $74.

The UCLA Bruins welcome the Iowa Hawkeyes to the Rose Bowl on Friday night for the first time as a member of the Big Ten, and if you want to catch the early college football Week 11 action in person, we have the ticket information you need right here.

The Bruins are just 3-5 overall while winning just two out of six in their first year in the new conference. The good news for UCLA is that they have won their last two against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights and Nebraska Cornhuskers, respectively.

The Hawkeyes have been better this fall, assembling a 6-3 total tally and a tidy 4-2 mark against fellow Big Ten schools. That has been good enough to earn 13 votes and a de facto No. 34 ranking in the US LBM Coaches Poll.

The UCLA Bruins will host the Iowa Hawkeyes on Friday, Nov. 8 at 9 p.m. ET.

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How to buy UCLA vs. Iowa football tickets

What better way to spend your Friday night in a historic venue than watching two Football Bowl Subdivision programs face off against each other? Here is what you need to know to get tickets to the Rose Bowl event.

At the time of publication, the cheapest available tickets for the UCLA Bruins vs. Iowa Hawkeyes are $74.

[afflinkbutton text=”Shop UCLA vs. Iowa tickets” link=”https://stubhub.prf.hn/l/aWB9O4R/”]

How to buy UCLA Bruins vs. Iowa Hawkeyes football tickets

Want to watch the UCLA Bruins vs. Iowa Hawkeyes in person on Friday, Nov. 8? Tickets still remain for as little as $74.

The UCLA Bruins welcome the Iowa Hawkeyes to the Rose Bowl on Friday night for the first time as a member of the Big Ten, and if you want to catch the early college football Week 11 action in person, we have the ticket information you need right here.

The Bruins are just 3-5 overall while winning just two out of six in their first year in the new conference. The good news for UCLA is that they have won their last two against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights and Nebraska Cornhuskers, respectively.

The Hawkeyes have been better this fall, assembling a 6-3 total tally and a tidy 4-2 mark against fellow Big Ten schools. That has been good enough to earn 13 votes and a de facto No. 34 ranking in the US LBM Coaches Poll.

The UCLA Bruins will host the Iowa Hawkeyes on Friday, Nov. 8 at 9 p.m. ET.

[afflinkbutton text=”Shop Bruins vs. Hawkeyes tickets” link=”https://stubhub.prf.hn/l/aWB9O4R/”]

How to buy UCLA vs. Iowa football tickets

What better way to spend your Friday night in a historic venue than watching two Football Bowl Subdivision programs face off against each other? Here is what you need to know to get tickets to the Rose Bowl event.

At the time of publication, the cheapest available tickets for the UCLA Bruins vs. Iowa Hawkeyes are $74.

[afflinkbutton text=”Shop UCLA vs. Iowa tickets” link=”https://stubhub.prf.hn/l/aWB9O4R/”]

Athletes.org’s anonymous poll sheds light on how student-athletes rank the University of Iowa

An anonymous poll from Athletes.org ranked the Iowa Hawkeyes in multiple areas by student-athletes. See how they rate the university.

The world of college athletics is in a brand new era and it is uncharted territory that coaching staffs, schools, and entire universities have never health with before.

There is a transfer portal allowing students to hop around from school to school. The world of NIL is a bit of the Wild West with very few rules and regulations for players to abide by. And there is the ongoing arms race of schools to build the newest, biggest, and brightest facilities.

Somewhere, schools have the decide what is most important and how they want to allocate their resources. An anonymous poll conducted by Athletes.org reached out to student-athletes from some of the biggest schools across the country to see how their programs are doing.

The University of Iowa was one of those programs that has had their results published due to a high number of responses. Student-athletes were asked to rank their school on strength and condition, athletic training, facilities, cafeteria/nutrition, academic support, career/personal development, NIL support, the overall college experience, and the mental health support provided.

These areas were rated 1-5 (1 being lowest) and averaged to an overall rating. The Iowa Hawkeyes received a 4.5 overall rating, which has them tied with the University of Maryland for the fourth-highest rating from their student-athletes.

Iowa scored extremely well in strength and conditioning, facilities, academic support, and college experience with all rating out at a 4.7 or higher. Athletic training, cafeteria/nutrition, career/personal development, and mental health support were all rated at least a 4.4.

Iowa’s lowest rating came in NIL support, which was down at a 3.8 rating out of five.

A few anonymous respondents from Iowa provided comments on their ratings.

“I think one of the main weaknesses would be nutrition. It would be cool to have an athlete dining hall where food access isn’t an issue as my practices ran well over lunchtime and fueling was a challenge. More NIL education and promotion would be beneficial as well. Strength training and weight room facilities were excellent and team travel was great as we got lots of experience across the country,” one respondent said of the cafeteria.

Iowa’s cafeteria and nutrition are graded at a 4.5.

“I believe the University of Iowa needs more education on NIL resources and should promote NIL to its athletes. I loved the strength coaches and facilities and the athletic trainers most often took care of my concerns. The travel to meets was fabulous and the indoor track facilities are nice aside from the locker room/restroom. Mental health support was accessible and quality,” another said regarding the need to improve upon NIL.

“I love the fans and the support we just get as athletes here at Iowa. It’s an endless amount of support no matter the sport,” said another respondent about the strong support of the Hawkeyes’ fanbase.

This poll received 1,561 responses from student-athletes participating in 25 different sports across 42 states. Of schools with their results published, Ohio State, Clemson, and Purdue nudged out Iowa with a 4.6 rating to come in at the top spot.

Athletes.org is an association that, while only 13 months old, works with over 3,200 college athletes in today’s collegiate landscape. They meet with athletes on campuses to help be an advocate for student-athletes.

Contact/Follow us @HawkeyesWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Iowa news, notes, and opinions.

Follow Riley on Twitter: @rileydonald7

Wisconsin HC Luke Fickell: Badgers have to ‘look in the mirror’ after 42-10 loss to Iowa

Wisconsin HC Luke Fickell: Badgers have to ‘look in the mirror’ after big loss to Iowa

The tone of Wisconsin head coach Luke Fickell’s postgame press conference after the Badgers’ 42-10 blowout loss to rival Iowa reflected a common sentiment: moderate disbelief.

“Not a lot that words can say to explain how I feel,” Fickell began his media availability saying. “It’s really really tough to put it to words right now. We’re going to have to pick ourselves up, we’re going to have to move forward. And we’re going to have to find a way to make sure we’re better.”

Related: Major takeaways from Wisconsin Badgers’ worst loss to Iowa since 1968

That disbelief followed arguably the program’s worst loss during his tenure as head coach. The Badgers surrendered 330 rushing yards to their rival, the most the program has allowed in more than 12 years. They were thoroughly dominated in every facet of the game by a team and program that somewhat embodies what Wisconsin used to look like.

The 32-point margin is Wisconsin’s worst loss to Iowa since a 41-0 defeat in 1968.

Losses of that magnitude often preceded changes, which Fickell hinted at during his press conference, noting that “a lot of guys, myself included first and foremost, are going to have to have a self check and look in the mirror and really self evaluate where they are and what they are willing to do to move forward.”

That ‘look in the mirror’ can begin during the Badgers’ upcoming by week before No. 1 Oregon travels to Madison on Nov. 16. After that, Wisconsin has critical season-closing matchups against Nebraska and Minnesota.

The Badgers need just one more win over those last three games to reach bowl eligibility. More importantly, the team needs to show that its performance at Iowa isn’t an indicator of further struggles to come.

Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes, and opinion.

Chiefs scouting report: Iowa Hawkeyes LB Jay Higgins

The Kansas City #Chiefs could target Iowa #Hawkeyes linebacker Jay Higgins on the final day of the 2025 NFL draft.

Linebacker is the weakest and thinnest position on Kansas City’s defense. Nick Bolton hitting free agency after this season won’t help the situation. The Chiefs need to take stock of the top linebackers in the 2025 NFL draft and invest in some depth pieces.

Iowa Hawkeyes linebacker Jay Higgins projects as a mid-round selection who could slide to the late fifth or mid-sixth round of the draft. He led all FBS defenders with 171 combined tackles last season, serving as the fixer of Iowa’s talented defense. He totaled more than 500 career special teams snaps across five different units in college, which paved the way for him to see action early in his NFL career.

Higgins lacks elite physical traits. His open-field speed, agility, arm length and frame don’t turn heads, but he plays with an elite motor. Higgins races with urgency to get outside the numbers and make plays along the sidelines. He shows off some burst to close ground and help his defensive backs make plays in space.

Higgins operates in shallow zone drops and prefers to keep receiving targets in front of him. He occasionally matches up with tight ends in off-man coverage over the slot. Higgins quickly closes on pass catchers to limit opportunities after the catch. He arrives with nice power and is an efficient wrap-up tackler.

Higgins’ athletic concerns show up in man coverage. His footwork appears heavy in coverage, and he lacks the straight-line speed and twitch to match NFL-caliber pass-catchers in space. He projects best as a high-motor prospect who rotates into the formation on run downs.

The Hawkeyes face Wisconsin at home on Saturday night at 6:30 p.m. The Badgers dropped their last game against Penn State last weekend, while Iowa defeated Northwestern.

Chiefs scouting report: Iowa Hawkeyes CB Jermari Harris

The Kansas City #Chiefs should have Iowa #Hawkeyes cornerback Jermari Harris on their radar for the 2025 NFL draft.

After dealing with the consequences of starter Jaylen Watson landing on injured reserve, the Kansas City Chiefs could add more cornerback depth in the 2025 NFL draft. The team’s third and fourth-round selections put it in a strong position to add complementary pieces to its defense this coming spring.

Iowa Hawkeyes cornerback Jermari Harris’ arms meet the league’s thresholds and help him deploy one-armed stabs in press coverage to re-route receivers. His quick and smooth feet help him patiently mirror wide receiver releases. He makes sharp and sometimes twitchy cuts to stay attached to advanced releases.

Harris accelerates quickly to carry receivers vertically but lacks the elite top speed to match burners. His recovery burst helps him get back into the second half of routes when he loses off the line. Harris is a smooth mover with limited tightness in his hips, but he allows some separation as he attempts to decelerate on intermediate comeback routes.

Harris anticipates routes well in both man and zone coverage. He excels at closing on short to intermediate routes to contest throwing lanes. Harris’ impressive ball production reflects how well he tracks and plays the football at the catch point.

Harris’ physical profile makes him a viable option in man coverage, and his processing helps him succeed in zone concepts. He seamlessly transitions between threats in zone and uses his understanding of route concepts to bait quarterbacks into bad throws.

Iowa welcomes Wisconsin to Kinnick Stadium for a 6:30 p.m. night game on Saturday, Nov. 2. The Badgers are on their second quarterback after starter Tyler Van Dyke went down with a season-ending knee injury earlier this year.

ESPN ‘College GameDay’ picks for Wisconsin Badgers vs. Iowa Hawkeyes

ESPN ‘College GameDay’ picks for Wisconsin Badgers vs. Iowa

The ESPN “College GameDay” staff all listed their pick to win Saturday’s primetime showdown between the Wisconsin Badgers (5-3, 3-2 Big Ten) and rival Iowa Hawkeyes (5-3, 3-2 Big Ten).

The extended panel for the Week 10 edition of the show included Kirk Herbstreit, Lee Corso, former Alabama head coach Nick Saban, Pat McAfee, Desmond Howard and guest picker comedian Keegan-Michael Key.

Related: Wisconsin vs. Iowa: TV channel, radio station, matchup preview and betting line for Saturday’s rivalry game

Every panelist except one chose the Hawkeyes to prevail. Saban was the only one to pick Wisconsin, citing the Badgers’ better form over the last month.

Big factors in the rivalry matchup include a tough Kinnick Stadium atmosphere, Iowa’s new quarterback, Wisconsin’s offensive line play and a battle between two of the top running backs in the conference.

Iowa has won two straight in the series and three of the last four. The Badgers and Hawkeyes will kick off at 7:30 p.m. ET, 6:30 p.m. CT. The game will be broadcast on NBC and available via stream on Peacock.

Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes, and opinion.

Wisconsin Football Schedule: Are the Badgers playing today? 

Is Wisconsin playing today? Here’s a look at the schedule and the games to come. 

Will the Wisconsin Badgers be on the field today in Week 10 of the College football season?

After a 28-13 Week 9 home loss to No. 3 Penn State halted the Badgers’ win streak, Wisconsin hits the road in Week 10 for a critical rivalry matchup at Iowa.

Related: 10 keys to a Wisconsin Badgers victory over the Iowa Hawkeyes

Wisconsin and Iowa will kickoff at 7:30 p.m. ET, 6:30 p.m. CT on Saturday night. The game will be broadcast on NBC and available to stream on Peacock.

The Badgers enter the primetime matchup with a 5-3 overall record and 3-2 mark in Big Ten play. Iowa enters with the exact same standing — 5-3 on the season and 3-2 in-conference.

Wisconsin has lost two straight to the rival Hawkeyes and three of the last four. It has not won at Kinnick Stadium since a 28-17 triumph in 2018.

Wisconsin schedule 2024

  • Aug. 30: vs. Western Michigan (W, 28-14)
  • Sept. 7: vs. South Dakota (W, 27-13)
  • Sept. 14: vs. Alabama (L, 42-10)
  • Bye Week
  • Sept. 28: at USC (L, 38-21)
  • Oct. 5: vs. Purdue (W, 52-6)
  • Oct. 12: at Rutgers (W, 42-7)
  • Oct. 19: at Northwestern (W, 23-3)
  • Oct. 26: vs. Penn State (L, 28-13)
  • Nov. 2 at Iowa
  • Bye Week
  • Nov. 16 vs. Oregon
  • Nov. 23 at Nebraska
  • Nov. 30 vs. Minnesota
  • Record: 5-3 (3-2 Big Ten)

Iowa schedule 2024

  • Aug. 31: vs Illinois State (W, 40-0)
  • Sept. 7: vs. Iowa State (L, 20-19)
  • Sept. 14: vs. Troy (W, 38-21)
  • Sept. 21: at Minnesota (W, 31-17)
  • Bye Week
  • Oct. 5: at Ohio State (L, 35-7)
  • Oct. 12: vs. Washington (W, 40-16)
  • Oct. 19: at Michigan State (L, 32-20)
  • Oct. 26: vs. Northwestern (W, 40-14)
  • Nov. 2: vs. Wisconsin
  • Nov. 8 at UCLA
  • Bye Week
  • Nov. 23 at Maryland
  • Nov. 30 vs. Nebraska
  • Record: 5-3 (3-2 Big Ten)

Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes, and opinion.

Iowa Overs: CBS Sports picks Hawkeyes vs. Wisconsin Badgers to light up the scoreboard

CBS Sports is back on board with the Hawkeyes’ offense. They have picked Iowa vs. Wisconsin to be a game that lights up the scoreboard, kinda.

Are we living in a parallel universe? Just 12 months ago, the Iowa Hawkeyes were setting records for the all-time lowest point total set in college football games.

Fast forward to now and Iowa is among those that are hitting the over on their point totals with ease. The Hawkeyes have a competent offense that can churn up yards and find the endzone this year. They are lighting up the scoreboard much more than in past years.

That trend is one that CBS Sports’ Tom Fornelli wants to rely on. He has picked Iowa versus the Wisconsin Badgers as his “Over of the Week.”

Wisconsin at Iowa: We’re back on the Iowa Overs Train! We left it out of the column last week because Northwestern has been killing overs all year, but they couldn’t derail the Iowa Over Train. The Hawkeyes put up 40 points for the third time this season against the Wildcats, and more importantly, they made a QB switch to Brendan Sullivan. Sullivan will start again this week, and while I won’t pretend he’s going to reinvent Iowa’s passing offense, his presence does make Iowa’s strength — its rushing offense — even stronger.

Kaleb Johnson has been mostly unstoppable with a statue in Cade McNamara at QB. Now that defenses have to account for the legs of Sullivan, too, it’ll cause linebackers to hesitate on those outside zone runs just a little longer, which will open lanes more frequently for Johnson to exploit. As for Wisconsin, yes, the offense came back to earth last week against a good Penn State defense, and now it’s on the road against a good Iowa defense. Still, this unit has shown an ability to hit big plays and should be effective enough to help us reach the betting over here. We’re not asking for a lot! The Pick: Over 40.5 – Fornelli, CBS Sports

Fornelli’s analysis is spot on and something we saw last week. Aside from one breakaway run in the first half, Kaleb Johnson was bottled up by Northwestern.

As soon as Brendan Sullivan entered the game, Johnson found two more creases to put the game away and continue his monster year. That can be partially credited to Sullivan’s mobility, which adds another wrinkle to Iowa’s offense, and the offensive line getting a push.

Wisconsin isn’t bad at defending the run, but they will give up some yards and that is how Iowa wants to make their hay. With Sullivan able to stretch the defense and always bring the threat of keeping it, the Badgers’ linebackers have to hesitate and that is all it takes.

Reaching 40.5 total points is not a tall mountain to climb and is a number that the Hawkeyes have seen surpassed in six of their eight games this year.

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