Things look a lot different for the Iowa Hawkeyes this season. No Caitlin Clark orchestrating the offense. No Lisa Bluder calling the shots from the sideline. “We are a different team,” Bluder admitted when talking about this new era for Iowa. But somehow, she’s still the one stealing the spotlight! And why wouldn’t she? When you’re caught on camera sipping Bud Light while cheering on your team, that’s as real as it gets. A true fan moment!

During Iowa’s first-round game in the Big Ten tournament, Caitlin Clark and her former head coach were both spotted in the stands cheering on their team. Yet, Bluder’s beer moment hijacked the headlines! Her candid moment rapidly went viral, prompting inevitable questions. She responded with humor and honesty!

Reporter Blake Hornstein had the opportunity to ask Lisa about her viral moment before the Michigan State game, and the ever-witty Lisa replied, “Yeah I heard that, I am a little bit mortified about it but you know I was enjoying the game!” Blake proceeded to ask about how it felt to watch a game while drinking a beer and she replied, “You know, it’s actually really nice. Never got to do that before in my life, so this is really fun. I just have enjoyed cheering on the Hawkeyes. And yes, I still get nervous. I want them to win so badly, I want this team to do well. So yeah, there’s a little bit of stress there. Probably more stressed now than I was sitting in the head coaches’ seat.”

It’s no surprise that Bluder never got to experience what fans do every weekend–watching their favorite team play with a beer in hand. She dedicated 40 years of her life to coaching, leaving little time to enjoy the game like a regular fan. Now that she’s retired, she’s earned the right to sit back and soak it all in rather than being embarrassed about it.

As Bluder enjoys her first taste of life as a fan, Iowa’s new-look squad faces a test of its own. Against No. 13 Ohio State, the team must prove that life after Clark is more than just an adjustment period—it’s a fight for legitimacy.

All said and done, Caitlin Clark will be watching closely as “the next Caitlin Clark” tries to lead the Hawkeyes to glory. She’ll be hoping and praying that this team can finish the job she couldn’t–winning the championship. Unlikely? Maybe. Impossible? Not quite. As a Hawkeye fan, you can only hope the dream stays alive!

Can the “next Caitlin Clark” drag the Hawkeyes across the finishing line?

Let’s be real. The Hawkeyes aren’t the powerhouse they were during the Caitlin Clark era. Losing four starters to the WNBA and your head coach in the same season is a nightmare scenario for any team trying to compete for a championship. But with that loss came the start of a new chapter in Iowa’s history.

Leading the charge? Star transfer from Villanova, Lucy Olsen! Olsen isn’t the sharpshooter Clark was, but her mid-range game might just be the best in the league. “Lucy Olsen plays the mid-range game as well as I’ve seen it played. She plays with a pull-up jumper, it has a little bit of a hitch to it. She can double clutch you a little bit,” said new head coach Jan Jensen, who knows just how lucky she was to land Olsen.

Olsen arrived in Iowa with an impressive résumé—averaging 23.3 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 3.8 assists per game at Villanova. She continues to shine, scoring 18.2 points and dishing out 5 assists per game this season. But she has stepped up even more in the postseason, dropping 40 points in the first two rounds of the Big Ten tournament. The hype around her is real.

Lucy Olsen isn’t trying to be the next Caitlin Clark. She’s trying to be Iowa’s next great leader. And if her postseason performance is any sign, the Hawkeyes might be reloading, rather than rebuilding this season.