Keegan Cook Explains How Ex-Purdue Star Lourdes Myers Fits Into Minnesota's Program

Minnesota added experience at middle blocker with the addition of ex-Purdue star Lourdes Myers via the transfer portal. How does she fit in with the Gophers?

Purdue Boilermakers middle blocker Lourdes Myers (9) smiles | Alex Martin/Journal and Courier / USA TODAY NETWORK

CHICAGO — Keegan Cook knew Minnesota was going to have to fill a major void left by middle blocker Phoebe Awoleye after the 2024 season. So, when he saw Lourdes Myers entered the NCAA transfer portal, he was quick to reach out and gauge her interest in playing with the Golden Gophers for her final season.

Ultimately, Myers committed to Minnesota, providing the team with some stability at the middle blocker spot.

"She gives you an added level of physicality that we lost," Cook said at Big Ten Media Days. "Phoebe Awoleye was a big loss for us in terms of being one of the best blockers in the country, and Lourdes helps us mitigate some of that, while also adding a little more offense in the middle third of the net, which is something we have been aspiring to be better at for some time."

Myers is coming off a 2024 campaign at Purdue in which she averaged 1.06 blocks amd 1.28 kills per set. Those numbers are comparable to Awoleye, who finished last year with 1.48 blocks and 0.97 kills per set with the Gophers.

Myers will provide plenty of skill and experience for the Gophers next season, having played under longtime Purdue coach Dave Shondell for five years. That combination of talent and experience is something that stood out to Cook when he looked to add the middle blocker to the roster.

"A long athlete, really dynamic, well coached in her time at Purdue, can score the ball in front and behind the setter," he said. "Thankful to have her and all the work she did at Purdue. Again, she speaks highly of her time there, and we're looking forward to giving her the best year of her career."

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