MADRID, Spain — A former Iowa Hawkeyes women's basketball star has secured her ticket to the Paris Olympics.
Megan Gustafson, currently a center for the Las Vegas Aces, earned a roster spot on Spain's Olympic Women's Basketball team for the upcoming 2024 Olympics, the WNBA announced in a press release. Gustafson becomes the first Iowa women's basketball alumna to be named to at least one of the Olympic basketball teams.
Gustafson, who is a naturalized Spanish citizen, made her Team Spain debut earlier this year during the 2024 Olympic Qualifying Tournament. She averaged a team-high 14.3 points and 3.3 rebounds as Spain finished 2-1 combined versus Canada, Japan and Hungary in February and earned a bid to the Olympics.
“Becoming an Olympian is something I have dreamt about my whole life,” Gustafson said. “And now being able to represent Spain in Paris is such an honor! (I’m) very grateful, excited, and ready to start this journey.”
Gustafson played for four years with the Hawkeyes and evolved into the 2019 AP Player of the Year by her senior season. She was selected No. 17 overall (Round 2, Pick 5) by the Dallas Wings in the 2019 WNBA Draft. After bouncing between Dallas, Washington and Phoenix, Gustafson joined the Aces, the back-to-back WNBA champions, in February.
She is now the sixth Aces player that will be competing in Paris, joining Chelsea Gray, Kelsey Plum, A’ja Wilson, Jackie Young and Tiffany Hayes.
Gustafson and Spain's women's basketball team will compete in Group A along with China, Puerto Rico and Serbia. The Spanish team will make its debut in the preliminary round on Sunday, July 28 versus China. The Spanish team will also play Puerto Rico on Wednesday, July 31 and Serbia on Saturday, Aug. 3.