the game against USC. That was just such a special moment for you guys to pull off the win there.
It all felt surreal. Then Kaitlyn Clark's jersey is being retired. We just beat USC.
Juju's sitting over there. It was like so many things going on.
What's up, you guys? I'm Rachel Demita, and welcome to the Courtside Club. As you can see,
we are on the road again. I'm actually in Switzerland today, but I could not miss out
on the chance to interview our next guest. Today on the show, we have Iowa point guard Lucy Olson.
You guys, we had an incredible conversation. I felt like I could have chatted with her
for hours, but we talked about all things Iowa, what it has been like from her transferring
from Villanova to Iowa, what this season has been like, her breakout game versus USC,
practicing with Kaitlyn Clark, her WNBA dreams, and so much more. You guys, I hope that you enjoy
this interview, and let's jump right in. Lucy Olson, welcome to the Courtside Club.
Thank you. Thanks for having me.
Thank you for coming on. You are nearing the end of your season with Iowa. It has been a whirlwind
of a season, a whirlwind of your college career. How are you feeling? It's crazy that it's almost
over. I can't believe the season went so fast, and senior year, everything just feels different.
Yeah, and you made a big move your senior year. It was bold. It was brave. You decided to transfer.
How was that? What went into that decision-making going off of a great season that you had?
You did a lot of things that you had at Villanova, and then thinking, you know what? This is my time.
I might need to try something new, go somewhere else.
Yeah. A bunch of things went into it, but I think just with the women's basketball exploding right
now, and there were so many opportunities, and I only had one year left, so it was kind of like,
well, let's just see what can happen. That was the main reason.
I know that the transfer portal is something that's relatively new, right? You put your name
and there and then you started getting calls and you were kind of ignoring them I heard you were
scared to pick up and then you got the call from coach Bluter what was that like yeah well I was
I didn't know who was calling because there's just all these random numbers calling so I'm like well
I'm just gonna wait let them ring through and then I'll listen to the message and see who they are
um it was also around like finals time in school so there was so much going on I'm like I don't
want to pick up every single call because who knows how long these coaches are going to talk
and I'm going to run out of time but I want to make sure I get back to everyone so I was trying
to figure out all that and yeah coach Bluter called and once I heard that message I was like
oh my gosh yeah like I have to call her back that's crazy did you have Iowa on your list
or was that just a total surprise um I didn't really have a list going into it I was just like
let's see who calls because I didn't really know
like Villanova such a small school I wanted to go higher play at a big in a big conference but
I didn't know who was going to call and yeah who was going to want me or need me like that type
of thing um so I just went into it like all right let's see what happens and then yeah Iowa was one
of the first few calls so definitely was on the list what did she say that sold you was there
anything specific no nothing specific but it was you could just like feel the culture through the
phone call like through her through like you could just feel the family or like environment
and it wasn't anything she said specifically but overall it just felt like like so friendly and
I'm like I've never talked to her before this is over the phone I can't even see her but like
because I'm feeling like so bubbly and warm it's gotta mean something it's that Iowa nice is that
what it's called yeah it's real so I've heard I've heard about that it's just everyone there
I'm from the midwest your Pennsylvania's like kind of midwest I'm next to you I'm from Ohio
so we're like kind of there but I guess Iowa is a whole different nice yeah I don't know I feel like
I was talking to someone yesterday about this like there's no way to describe it it's just
everyone's just so much nicer like no one's gonna I don't know I just felt like I remember when I
got here and I was like when are they gonna start judging me like it was just everything was so nice
yeah well it seems like you found a great home and obviously
you're having a great season so coach Bluter was the one who called you but when you got there
obviously she had not known yet that she was going to retire and then she had what firstly
what was your initial reaction to that but it also seems like with coach Jan you you guys have
been good and she's really been happy with your play and you guys have really vibed was she also
there for your visit when you first went to Iowa yeah so when I took my visit coach Dan was there
too she was there the whole time with coach Bluter so I got to meet her and I was like I'm gonna go
to her get to know her really well and same with the other coaches um when I got the call that
coach Bluter was retiring I was like what it was crazy but then they were like coach Dan's taking
over she was on the phone as well and I made sure that the whole the team was gonna stay because I
feel like that means a lot if the team's staying obviously they know coach Dan a lot better than
I did and since everyone stayed I just felt like it was still gonna be great and yeah I'm
happy I stuck with my decision yeah I think that you ended up in a situation where it did work out
and this is something that you know a lot of younger girls coming up might not realize it's
actually something that happened to me in the recruiting process as well I was really close
with the assistant coaches and that whole staff left when I got there but to me I didn't have the
same experience as you did and I feel like this happens a lot so what advice would you give for
girls in high school being recruited when they are you know taking visits doing all those things what
do they need to look out for who do they need to talk to what do they need to do to make sure that
that fit will be right for them yeah that's a tough question um they always say don't pick
the school that you're going to for the coaches like make sure you really like everything else
and I think that is one thing I looked out for like obviously I loved the team the players can
change also but knowing it was different like transferring I would say just because I knew like
Sydney and Hannah they were still going to be here next year nothing was going to happen
um but yeah I would say like choose the school for the school as like in addition to the basketball
like Villanova even if the coaches left I was still close to home like that was a big part of
it so yeah you never know what's going to happen with the coaches some players could transfer or
injuries as well but I yeah I would say make sure you like actually like the team and you're not
just choosing it for um I don't know I don't know I don't know I don't know I don't know I don't know
um yeah like just the coaches in general so you not only transferred schools but you also
transferred conferences what has been the biggest difference playing in the Big Ten coming from the
Big East yeah I would say in the beginning the physicality like the refs just call it differently
I'm still trying to figure out how the refs are calling it some games I'm like what you're allowed
to do that other games I'm like you just let them do that the whole time so still trying to figure
it out um definitely got me in the beginning I think I'm getting used to it I think just
the style of play is way faster it's like teams are running up and down that's one of the reasons
I chose the Big Ten but I think that's also the Iowa system too no that run and gun yeah it's so
much fun but it's so different because the Big East is a lot of defense a lot of all right we're
gonna set up a really good play we're gonna run our stuff and so a lot of like low lower scoring
still great basketball just so different right still division one but I feel like the women's
game is evolving in a sense where I see it on all levels getting a bit quicker and I actually think
it's a more exciting game as well even just for the casual fan and it's something with women
obviously I feel like we're more fundamentally sound maybe not the most athletic as the men but
when we play that quick pace and you get those fast breaks you get those three pointers you know
and you're able to you know set up at times
but I think it's a really fun brand of basketball for sure yeah I totally agree that was definitely
one of the reasons I chose Iowa what has the atmosphere been like oh my gosh it's incredible
like the fans are amazing it's always no matter who we're playing there's always people in the
stands cheering loudly like they're not just there you can hear them they are going to cheer for you
they're reacting um and then yeah everyone's just like so nice again like if you see people out in
the stands it's always like oh great game like if we lost you had them like that you guys fought so
hard they weren't like oh you lost I don't know if anyone would actually say that but I don't know
they're just like it's always so nice and like oh great job like you're doing great we love watching
um yeah but every time I run out on the court I'm like I can't believe I'm here and this is my life
so I've heard that even in practices sometimes the coaches will play certain sounds so that you guys
are used to the atmosphere can you
tell us a little bit about that yeah that kind of started for the USC game um they I don't even know
they started playing like uh yeah like crowd noises while we're shooting free throws or just
during practice because we can't yell the plays as much so we were trying to like
use hand signals and stuff like that um so yeah it was really comes in with a speaker just on her
shoulder like okay this is how practice is going the managers were doing it through the
system like wow it was it was loud yeah and you guys do you think that that actually I want to
get into the USC game and a little bit more depth than the second half of the show but do you feel
like that did set you guys up yeah I think it helped I mean there were a lot like we don't
have that many returners so like even though it's been that loud in Carver before a lot of
us haven't played in that type of environment and the coaches knew that yeah it was going to be loud
it was going to be crazy
so I think it did help so then you're not like overwhelmed when it does happen
so aside from obviously your home Arena have there been any other gyms that felt crazy to
play in is it a Yukon I know you had a couple matches there at Villanova as well is it one
of the Big Ten schools one of the Big East schools yeah I'm trying to think um Michigan
State was early but that was the first like pretty loud crowd against
us um Yukon yeah that was not fun to play there I feel like that that can get a little hostile too
because Yukon is bleeds basketball yeah that is their heart and soul for life so going in there
any team that walks into that gym they just let you know what time it is it is go time yeah
yeah you have really found your groove lately with this Iowa team I feel like even
the past five six games I'm just seeing this free Lucy being able to play every facet of your game
and being able to take over games when it really matters and I do want to congratulate you that
Ohio State game that was insane and the way that I I know you guys made it but you should be proud
of that moment and there will be more of those in your career for sure so I do want to congratulate
you on being able to rise the occasion your team definitely needed you in that final minute but do
feel like you have found yourself a little more throughout this Iowa season yeah it's definitely
been a process one of the most frustrating processes of my basketball career so far but
I think a lot of there were so many new pieces this season for Iowa basketball
so many people left obviously Kaylin Clark was the whole show and Kate and Gabby like there
were so many pieces that had to be changed and then a whole new coach um and then five new
freshmen I'm new but I'm old so there were so many pieces that needed to come together and
in the beginning of the season I'm like okay I can I'm doing stuff but every time I'm like I
could be doing so much more like I don't know why my body's not doing it like mentally I'm
trying to be aggressive I'm trying to set my teammates up but it's not working it's like
clicking and I was just getting so frustrated because I'm trying to do all the right things
but you just sometimes can't speed up the process you just gotta let it all
I don't know like start fitting together and I guess USC was the game that it kind of I don't
know why it clicked but I think we just had enough time together that I was just able to play
basketball I wasn't I didn't have to think about the offense didn't have to fit about think about
fitting into the system it was just like all right my body and mind know it well enough that
I can just go play and I think since then it's it's been a lot better I've just been thinking
less and playing more and that's I feel like most people play their best when they do that
and coach Jan even said in an interview she said how much she believes in you and she actually said
that to you during the game at USC do you remember that moment when she said I just want you to know
how much I believe in you yeah was that
was that maybe part of it also yeah I think so in the first half like I was missing
a few shots that I feel like I should have made and then she was just yeah she just pulled me
over and was like I believe in that and I believe in you you got this um like you're here this is
why you came here and I think just that extra little motivation and trust from your coach
it means a lot and whether I consciously thought about it in that moment or not it was
it was definitely helping I think what a lot of people
don't know about is that they don't know about you and they don't know about you and they don't
might not understand as well is like being in that point guard position being in that one two
position on the court there is a lot going through your mind at all time and whether
it is your job to score all the points not score all the points but you know what I mean like score
a significant amount of points or get your teammates going it's a lot of weight on your
shoulders and to step into a new team it is fair that it might be took you a little bit to find
your groove and even you say like I wasn't playing that well people will see you play
in your your mind you're not best and it's still great basketball but now it is a different level
because it's like a free style of basketball and so that's really cool to see and I'm also glad that
it's you know panning out for your whole team as well that's exciting yeah I think a lot of people
had to go through the same process so we were all like trying to find our own going through our own
journeys and now they're just coming together which is really cool to see what are your guys's
team goals for the rest of the season what are your guys's team goals for the rest of the season
well we had our goals in the beginning and then with a bunch of losses we kind of had to shift
those goals but yeah I mean make the tournament in March Madness win the Big Ten tournament
make it far like make a running final four championship NCAA I mean as long as we get
in March Madness then we want to win it all so it's called March Madness for a reason you know
anything can happen yep I totally
agree so I want to talk a little bit more about your breakout game that USC game but before that
I have a little halftime game for you if you're down okay this one's light okay so it's a little
game that I've made up myself and I like to call it Pennsylvania or Iowa okay so I have a list of
things you just need to tell me Pennsylvania or Iowa so firstly the food is it better in
Pennsylvania or in Iowa oh I love seafood
and I can't say the Iowa seafood's too good okay so we're going hometown for this one we're going
Pennsylvania what about how nice the people are oh Iowa what about things to do no I don't really
do too much outside of basketball and homework so I'm sure there's plenty of things to do here but
I haven't gotten time to explore them so I'm gonna say Pennsylvania no shopping no
escape room I'm trying to think about it
yeah I don't even know what I did at Villanova but I would just go home I guess but because I
lived in Pennsylvania my whole life I know there's stuff to do okay we'll take that so what about the
weather oh Pennsylvania it's too cold here wait it's cold in Pennsylvania too no yeah it's cold
but it's like it's been negative degrees here I've never had growing up you need a new coat
yeah what about the gas stations oh because it's a lot more than just filling up your tank at a
gas station you know you have the snacks you have the drinks you have all the things and I know from
being in Ohio you know certain ones are better than others that's a good question um I gotta
go with Pennsylvania I love Wawa no Wawa in Iowa okay so what about the history
I'm so bad with history I have no idea which one girl don't you guys have the bell in Pennsylvania
I felt like that was an easy one we do yeah Pennsylvania I'm not a history buff either
but I was like I know there's a lot of American history but maybe she knows some Iowa history
too yeah I'm trying to think I'm like I hope I'm not missing Iowa history that I should really know
but people can let us know in the comments if there's something we're missing yeah how about
the basketball fans oh Iowa hard to tell yeah they're really they're amazing yeah it's hard to
top what about football football well Villanova didn't even have well they had a football team
but it was low um Iowa these games are crazy and how about the basketball players who have come out
of each state we don't have to talk about like people on your team it could be men it could be
women who have come out of these states
I'm gonna need a list but Kaitlyn Clark Iowa so yeah okay cool all right so it's time for the
second half okay let's talk more about this Kaitlyn Clark Jersey retirement game the game against USC
I have to be totally honest with you guys when I saw that you guys had USC on the schedule for
that game I said that is going to be such a tough game and obviously USC being in the top five you
have Juju Walker and I have to be totally honest with you guys when I saw that you guys had USC on
the schedule for that game and obviously USC being in the top five you guys had USC on the schedule for
that game and obviously USC being in the top five you guys had USC on the schedule for that game and
that was just such a special moment for you guys to pull off the win there what what did that feel
like after the game obviously you had a great game 28 points four boards four assists three steals
playing on both ends of the court how did that feel um it all felt surreal I was like living in
the moment I was trying to but I'm like is this happening and then Kaitlyn Clark's jersey is being
retired I'm like she's like the greatest player ever and I'm like I'm like I'm like I'm like I'm
watching her retirement right now we just beat USC Juju's sitting over there it was like so many
things going on um it was a really cool moment but I was just I feel like I was a little overwhelmed
I was trying to take it all in and like I think I did a good job of that but yeah it was crazy
I mean talk about rising to the occasion you guys were just practicing with noise in the gym and
then when you actually are under those bright lights and the arena's full that's when you found
Lucy again at your highest level of basketball so that's something to be so proud of a story that I
heard from coach Jan she said that she told you guys before the game let's focus on the game first
and then you know it's obviously a really exciting day Kaitlyn will be here but we will celebrate her
after let's focus on these 40 minutes then you guys walk into practice and there's the 22 t-shirts
everywhere towel were they t-shirts or towels I don't remember yeah so there's 22 all over the
gym and so you guys immediately were like well here's Kaitlyn do you remember that yeah I think
we were yeah I mean obviously Kaitlyn practiced with us I think that day or the day before so
that was cool um but yeah the towels just made the gym look so different and like we knew she
was it was getting retired it was just yeah it was weird and like the whole thing was just
so different than the rest of the season
like we were all just like all right Kaitlyn's getting her jersey retired we're playing USC we
haven't really won a big game yet we kind of need this one but let's just see what happens
um yeah you talked about her being in practice with you guys and that was one of the jokes even
online they said oh Kaitlyn must have been standing in as Juju obviously Juju is such
an incredible player and so hard to stop defensively you know what I mean that's one
of those things maybe when you're going up against Juju she's gonna get her points you
got to be okay with that you have to have
to minimize the best that you can but what was Kaitlyn like in practice was she competitive was
she just hyping you guys up uh she was competitive um yeah it was helpful that she hits tough shots
just like Juju does so it was okay she's gonna hit some but we gotta go move on to the next play
it wasn't like we were surprised like oh my God how did Juju just hit that it was like all right
we saw that yesterday so let's just move on practice yesterday yeah we saw that it was right
yeah so you know we're used to that and next one but you guys basically had a dress rehearsal you
had the the crowd noise you had Kaitlyn as Juju yeah you were ready yeah we were ready was there
any advice that she gave you guys before the game any words of wisdom um trying to think
I think she was just like anything could happen like just go out we didn't really have any pressure
so just go play free so since then have you felt a a little morale boost of your team I know
obviously you feel like you you found your groove a little bit more but overall as the team obviously
coming off a huge win like that yeah I think it gave us all confidence like we knew we were good
because we've been in all these close games but we haven't been able to finish them out so I think
just the all right we actually we won one so now we can really believe it that we are good and like
USC is a really tough team so
being able to beat them gives that gave us so much confidence like moving forward
so aside from playing against Kaitlyn Clark in practice who is the toughest player that
you've had to go up against um yeah probably Juju she's like she's so good at everything
she does so it's like you gotta pick your battles and what you're gonna hope that she
misses but there's not really a way to stop her just because she's really strong and shifty has
that one last thing on that game obviously uh coach Lisa bluder is not head coach anymore but
she was also present at that game were you able to talk to her at all um I don't think I did maybe
yeah I don't think I got to see her you're like I was so locked in on the dub everything else is
kind of a blur yeah I'm trying to think I probably saw her for like a little bit but I didn't get and
she was there Kate was there
you guys had and then obviously the arena was packed full the Indiana Fever coaching staff was
there as well the front office was there yeah there were so many people there but it was yeah
it was weird because we did we like went through a normal basketball routine we played Jersey
retired and then everyone just like I don't even know where everyone went yeah yeah back to business
yep I want to talk about another Jersey you're my mom Jersey that you wore can you tell us about that
um well I not that I forgot that it was on the back of my jersey but my mom I didn't tell her and
she came to the game and then after the game she was like oh my god I was crying the whole time
yeah I totally should have like reminded or like hey look for the back of my jersey I should have
said something to her but yeah my mom had breast cancer um I don't know what year back in like I
feel like I was in like sixth grade or something and yeah so it was just special that I was able to
go back to my jersey and then our pink game our home pink game is against UCLA so she's able to
come out for that one too so it's super special yeah well I know that you are so close with your
family and that was something that I thought was just such a special moment between you and your
mom and something I thought was kind of funny on your dad's side was when you had a little injury
midway through the season and your dad was actually the one who cleared it up for everyone
yeah I don't know why
I don't think anybody really knew but they were wondering what was happening and then he said oh
it was a freak accident and you had to can you also tell us what exactly happened because I
don't even think I know what exactly happened we were in Cancun for a tournament and we it was
practice the day before our game we've been there for probably two or three days already enjoying
the weather the beach so nice and then we're at practice we play the next day and I just ran to go
to the bathroom because practice started in like five minutes or I'll just free shooting and I fell
off the court because it was elevated and I like rolled my ankle as I went off the court and then
I stood back up and I'm like oh my ankle's okay like I thought I heard it and I stood up and I'm
like oh I'm good so I looked around and I like you know when you fall you got to make sure people were
saw you fall or didn't see you fall and I'm like oh okay so I keep running the bathroom and then
when I'm in the bathroom I look down at my knee and it was just like a giant slice
and I was like oh my gosh I didn't know what to do and then I just ran back to the gym and it was
like gushing blood it was really bad but it's just so dumb I'm like really Lucy you had to go to the
bathroom and you sprinted and fell off the court you can score over 30 points in a division one
basketball game but you can't safely get to the restroom nope it's pretty impressive actually
yeah so that was exciting
can you tell me about your basketball is fun merch yeah so this started like
I think my sophomore year no maybe my freshman year of Villanova we were in March Madness and
we just beat BYU it was an upset we weren't supposed to beat them and I went to the press
conference and they were like they asked me something like oh what does this win mean to you
and I said I just said like oh I love basketball like it's so fun I'm glad we get to keep playing
like something like that that was just dumb and everyone my family was making fun of me after
they're like oh really like you like basketball what a great answer and so then some my neighbor
made a shirt that said basketball is fun like making fun of me and then we're like wait that's
kind of cute because you smile the whole game you do have fun that's why you play basketball so
and then people just tell me I smile the whole game I don't know when I smile I still don't
understand why I'm smiling the whole game because I'm really locked in and I'm really angry usually
I don't know when I'm smiling but yeah it's because I smile on the court all the time I
just kept that going with the basketball is fun and I play it because it's fun and like you don't
want to in my head like when things get too high or too low I'm like why are you even playing because
you're having fun and I want to show the younger generation as well that if you're not having fun
why are you playing and you can be competitive while having fun so it has a whole bunch of
stories in it I I feel like that's the sentiment that I've gotten from you
even in other interviews that I've watched when you talk about even growing up playing basketball
it was just you just liked it that's why you kept playing it and you also played tennis as well and
are a state champ in tennis which is so jealous that you're so good at two sports I wouldn't say
I was like that tennis but somehow yeah okay you don't just get a state ring by being mediocre at
a sport so but I feel like that's you know just been part of your life and it's gotten
so far which is really cool with that have you thought about your dreams playing after college
yeah I definitely want to keep playing hopefully WNBA but yeah we'll see where life takes me but
yeah I do love basketball and that's why I play because it's so fun and yeah I just want to keep
playing as long as I can I know that you said when you were younger you didn't watch too much WNBA but
you loved the NBA have you been tapped in a little bit more to the WNBA now as the sport continues to
yeah I definitely have been I haven't watched like any NBA so if I watch some pro basketball
it's WNBA it's the girls the girls yeah but yeah no I've definitely been more tapped in
besides Caitlyn are there any women in the W whose game impresses you
yeah I really like Sabrina's game she's just so smooth with what she does and I feel like
she sees the game really well so I like her game a lot for your game to translate to the
next level what would you work on in your game yeah um I feel like there's a bunch of things but
physicality it just keeps getting more and more like watching the WNBA I'm like oh my gosh they
do not call any fouls and I thought the big 10. so getting used to or figuring out how to use my
game while being held while physical defenses are on you and it is like some of these people in the
six years 10 years on me so they have a lot of muscle they're strong so I got to figure out how to
um yeah like grow my game in order to still be effective one thing that I would love to
see your game in the W is your mid-range because I feel like that's not completely
lost in the women's game and you it's just so impressive your footwork with the ball the way
that you're able to get the shot above your head as well um and I know that that's something you
said that you had a growth spurt when you were younger but I'm just impressed with your mid-range
and I would love to also see that at the next level so yes don't give that up don't don't you
know the threes are nice too we can have both but I love I love the mid-range thanks yeah I think
I'll keep that one perfect okay before I let you go I do have a couple buzzer beaters for you okay
okay so break down your ideal courtside fit
um I need to get some style for this one um I haven't really thought about this I feel like
it depends like what game we're at I feel like a nice matching sweatsuit would be cute but then
style it up somehow I would need help with the styling but I think a nice matching sweatsuit
would be cute cute okay so who is one person dead or alive that you would love to sit courtside with
yeah so I really want to meet Giannis but if we're like at his game that wouldn't work
okay so we're watching Giannis's game and who are we sitting courtside with
wait who is Giannis playing this will give you more options
um uh LeBron got it I hope this happens um we're courtside Lakers Bucks got it in our
sweatsuit who are we sitting next to Sabrina fun I like that a lot
it'd probably be fun to break down the game with as well yeah like hear her side of the basketball
and then I feel like she's also cool and nice and fun so it'd just be a fun game I'm into it
okay and lastly what is one event in history it could be a sporting event it could be other that
you would have loved to have been courtside for um like an Iowa game in the March in March Madness
last year either probably set the national championship game last year the SC game the South
Carolina game that would have been crazy that would have been crazy
also I think like 18 million people tuned in on television to watch that game like I was definitely
watching it for my TV and it was hype I can't imagine being there I was at the men's final four
watching it on TV at the final four but I think this year I'll be at the women's so if you guys
are there I I told my team like we're going to the girls this year sorry boys but girls is where it's
Lucy I think that's all I have for you I know that you guys are super busy I wish you guys the best of
luck for the rest of this season but let everybody know where they can find you on social media on
TikTok Instagram or anything that you're working on okay um Lucy three Olsen's by Instagram and
then Tick Tock Lucy also 45. love it popping off on both go follow her there yeah and I
think that's it thank you so much this was great thank you