MOSCOW, Idaho – The Vandal women's basketball team has announced the addition of three transfers to the Vandal women's basketball program for the 2024-25 season. Olivia Nelson and Jennifer Aadland will join the Vandals for their graduate seasons. Hope Hassmann will transfer in with three years of eligibility remaining. 

Olivia Nelson | 5'6" | Guard | University of Central Missouri | Liberty, MO

Olivia Nelson joins the Vandals after four seasons at the University of Central Missouri. She heads to Idaho to complete the final year of her eligibility. 

"Olivia is a fantastic addition to our program," said Head Coach Eighmey. "She is a super high IQ point guard who makes everyone around her better! She's sneaky good on the offensive end because of her vision, passing, and scoring ability. She's incredibly competitive and has had a ton of success throughout her collegiate career! She's just a winner and we can't wait to have the opportunity to coach her!"

As a senior, Nelson started in all 29 games for the Jennies while averaging 33 minutes per contest. She ended the season averaging 14.7 points, 4.1 assists, and 2.9 rebounds. Nelson earned MIAA Player of the Week honors after a stellar performance against Augustana (S.D.) where she put up a career-high-tying 29 points off 10-15 shooting from the floor and 9-10 from behind the charity stripe. She shot 45.7% from the field, 40.2% from three, and 82% from the free-throw line. Nelson led the team in three-pointers made (43) and assists (119) for the second consecutive season. 

During her junior season, Nelson earned a starting spot in all 30 games. She averaged 13.2 points, 3.2 rebounds, and four assists per game. She came in fourth overall in the MIAA for assists with 120 on the season. Nelson led the team in free-throw shooting, draining 74 of 83 attempts. She knocked down a season-best 25 points including a season-best 10 shots from the paint in a victory over Pittsburgh State. She racked up honors for All-MIAA Second Team and MIAA All-Defensive Team.

In her sophomore campaign, she started in all 30 contests. Nelson averaged 13.8 points, 3.1 rebounds, and a team-high 4.5 assists per game. She ranked ninth in the MIAA in scoring and eighth in steals (1.6). She posted a career-high 29 points in a matchup against Bellevue. She ended the season shooting 48.5% from the field and 44.1% from deep and earned All-MIAA Honorable Mention honors. 

In her freshman year, she earned her starting spot in all 28 games for the Jennies. She averaged 12 points, 2.3 rebounds, and a team-high 3.3 assists per game. She shot 48.1% from the paint and led the team in free-throw shooting, sinking 84% of her attempts (85-101). She put up a season-high 20 points against St. Cloud State. Nelson was named to the All-MIAA Second Team for her debut season performance. 

Nelson hails from Kansas City, Missouri where she led Liberty High School to two district championships and a fourth-place state tournament finish. She was named conference MVP as a senior and earned First Team All-Conference recognition for four consecutive years.

Jennifer Aadland | 6'1" | Forward | Augustana University | Laramie, WY

Jennifer Aadland will transition to Idaho after completing four seasons at Augustana University. She signs with the Vandals to cap off her final year of eligibility. 

"Jennifer is a great fit for our program," said Head Coach Eighmey. "Her toughness, athleticism, and versatility will be extremely valuable to us on both ends of the floor. She is competitive and wants to win the right way. We're so excited she is a Vandal!"

During her senior season, Aadland started in all 27 games while averaging 10.8 points and 8.2 rebounds per game. She went 37.3% from three and 87.5% from the free-throw line, leading the team in both categories. Aadland grabbed a total of 222 rebounds throughout the season, another team-high. She found a season-high 20 points in a win over Minnesota-Crookston. She notched another season-high against the University of Mary where she nabbed 14 rebounds. 

In her junior year performance, she started in all 31 games and averaged 9.7 points and 5.6 rebounds per game. Aadland led the Vikings in field goal percentage shooting 53.4% on 223 attempts. She contributed on the other end of the court, leading the team in blocks with 38 total in the season. She recorded a season-high 21 points in a victory against the University of Sioux Falls. She shot 48.3% from deep and a near-perfect 94.3% from the charity stripe.

As a sophomore, Aadland appeared in 24 games and earned a starting role in all but one. She averaged 8.2 points and 6.8 rebounds per game while tallying four double-doubles on the season. She tallied a career-high 16 rebounds against Minnesota State University while putting up an additional 19 points. She found another career-high versus the University of Mary where she drained 22 points. Once again, she led the team in blocks, stopping 30 shots throughout the season. She shot 48.2% from the paint and 79.2% from the free-throw line. 

In her debut season as a freshman, she started in all 17 games for the Vikings following her redshirt year the season prior. She averaged 5.6 points and 4.8 rebounds per game. Aadland scored a season-high 13 points twice against Concordia University St. Paul, and Upper Iowa University. Aadland was honored as an NSIC All-Freshmen Team selection. She shot 33.3% from the paint and 31.4% beyond the arc. 

The Wyoming-bred talent attended Laramie High School where she was a three-time All-Conference selection and named All-State during her final two seasons. She also led the entire state of Wyoming in shots blocked. 

Hope Hassmann | 5'8" | Guard | Cal State Fullerton | Maple Valley, WA

Hope Hassmann is set to return to the Pacific Northwest after one season at Cal State Fullerton. She commits to Idaho to make the most out of the next few years of her career. 

"We are thrilled Hope has signed on to be a Vandal," said Head Coach Eighmey. "She is a competitor and plays extremely hard! Her ability to score at multiple levels and defend well is something we look for in our guards. While she is a great player, she is an even better person, and we can't wait to see her in black and gold!"

As a true freshman, Hassmann started in all 31 games. She averaged 9.2 points per game, the third highest on the team. She held the highest free-throw percentage for both the team and conference, shooting 88.5% off 78 attempts. Hassermann was also ranked fifth in the conference for assists, averaging 2.8 per game. She tallied a season-high 23 points and six steals against UC San Diego. She shot 39.5% in the paint and 29.9% from behind the arc. The season concluded with her receiving Big West All-Freshman Team honors.

Hassmann was raised in Washington where she led Tahoma High School to the conference championship and third-place finish in the state tournament during her senior year. She was named NPSL Conference MVP for three consecutive years and was honored as the News Tribune All-Area Girls Basketball Player of the Year in 2023.