Olson, Swords Named Preseason All-B1G; U-M Listed in Top Five
10/2/2025 2:00:00 PM | Women's Basketball
ROSEMONT, Ill. -- Olivia Olson and Syla Swords of the University of Michigan women's basketball team were each named to the 2025 Preseason All-Big Ten team by both the coaches and the media, as announced by the conference on Thursday afternoon (Oct. 2). In addition, Michigan was picked to finish third in the conference by the coaches and fourth by the media.
Olson was named the 2025 Big Ten Freshman of the Year by the coaches last season, in addition to earning a second-team nod from the coaches and media. Olson started all 34 games, scoring in double figures 29 times with 10 20-point games and a 30-point performance last season. She averaged 16.3 points, 5.3 rebounds and 2.1 assists in 30.8 minutes per game as the top-scoring freshman in the Big Ten. Olson recorded a pair of double-doubles last season and set a new freshman program record for points in a season with 553.
Swords was also named to the All-Big Ten second team by both the coaches and media last season, while also earning a spot on ESPN's all-freshman team. She appeared in all but one game, averaging 16.0 points, 6.2 rebounds and 2.5 assists in 32.5 minutes per game. Swords became the first freshman in program history to be named to the Big Ten all-tournament team after helping Michigan to an appearance in the semifinals. She recorded a pair of double-doubles on the season, highlighted by a 27-point, 12-rebound performance in her collegiate debut against No. 1 South Carolina (Nov. 4). Swords helped Canada to the bronze medal at the 2025 FIBA AmeriCup, hitting the game-winning layup as time expired in overtime.
Michigan is coming off its seventh straight NCAA Tournament berth in 2024-25, winning 23 games and reaching the second round of the NCAA Tournament. J. Ira and Nicki Harris Family Head women's basketball coach Kim Barnes Arico became the all-time winningest coach in Michigan basketball history and relied on a freshman-heavy lineup to finish fifth in the Big Ten with 11 victories. U-M welcomes back a trio of starters in Olson, Swords and Mila Holloway (9.8 ppg, 4.4 apg), along with six other Wolverines who saw the floor last season.
New season tickets are still available, starting at $75. Single-game and group tickets will go on sale beginning on Oct. 7.
