‘This is so fun’: Lucy Olsen’s joy permeates Villanova program during special season

After a four-point upset win over No. 6 BYU in the first round of the 2022 NCAA Tournament, Villanova’s Lucy Olsen was asked about how it felt to be playing in her first March Madness. Instead of mentioning the nerves of the big stage or the pressure that comes with starting as a freshman, Olsen offered a simple answer.

“I just like to play basketball. It’s fun.” Olsen said with a smile on her face.

Fast-forward to this year, and the sophomore maintains the same mentality.

“Every game I play, I’m like, ‘This is so fun’,” Olsen said. “I’m just so excited to be here.”

The 5-foot-9 guard is in her second season as a starter for the Wildcats and has quickly become one of the top point guards in the Big East. She does it all while staying grounded in her love for the game, allowing her to play freely and fearlessly.

A prime example of Olsen’s passion for basketball is Villanova’s game against No. 5 UConn on Jan. 29.

Olsen was matched up with reigning Big East Defensive Player of the Year Nika Muhl. Muhl has flustered many of her opponents, but Olsen appeared to be unfazed.

Olsen scored 19 to go along with four assists and three steals while recording just three turnovers and playing 38 minutes in the 63-58 loss. On the other end, Olsen held Muhl to nine points and just three assists, five below Muhl’s NCAA-leading 8.3 assists per game.

“Olsen has gotten a lot better,” UConn head coach Geno Auriemma said postgame. “She’s a tough kid.”

Olsen admits she can get nervous playing in high-pressure environments like a sold-out XL Center, but says the “nerves are more like excitement.”

The sophomore has learned how to stay levelheaded on the court, but, like every athlete, there are times when Olsen gets down on herself. When that happens, head coach Denise Dillon has been able to calm her down.

“When I do start getting in my head, Coach Dillon can see it,” Olsen said. “She’ll come over to me and say, ‘Find your joy. This is basketball. This is fun. Find your joy, and everything else will come.’”

So far, Dillon has been right. Everything is coming along well for Olsen in her sophomore campaign. Olsen is averaging 12.6 points and 4.3 assists while leading the team with 32 steals. She also ranks fifth in the nation with an assist-to-turnover ratio of 2.82.

Olsen credits her coaches and teammates for getting her to this point. Maddy Siegrist, in particular, has influenced Olsen throughout their two years together.

“Her work ethic really inspired me,” Olsen said. “I think it really helped me become a better player, knowing that ... if I put the work in like her, I can I try to be like her.”

Dillon has called Olsen a “Mini-Maddy”, citing the sophomore’s effort and discipline. Like Siegrist, Olsen puts in hours outside of practice and games that have been crucial to her growth on the court.

“It’s her relentless work ethic,” Dillon said of Olsen following Villanova’s win over La Salle in December. “You guys don’t see Lucy at practice, but that’s what we see every day, every drill. … She gives everything from start to finish.”

» READ MORE: Maddy Siegrist continues making history as she becomes the Big East all-time leading scorer

It all goes back to the joy that Olsen gets from playing basketball. It’s a feeling that is only amplified by her teammates and the positive environment the coaching staff fosters.

“I think just the community that this program has built makes it so easy for us,” Olsen said. “The joy we all get from working so hard at practice every day and then succeeding on the court when it matters. My teammates are my best friends.”

Dillon has lauded the Wildcats’ relationships on multiple occasions, calling it a “genuine love” that translates onto the court.

Olsen and her teammates have a special thing going this season with a chance to clinch a share of the Big East regular season title for the first time since 1986-87 and make another NCAA Tournament run. But Olsen tries not to look too far ahead.

“[I’m excited] to just keep winning with my team.” Olsen said. “I don’t want this season to end.”