Washington Huskies head coach Keegan Cook directs his team during a college volleyball game between the Arizona Wildcats and the Washington Huskies on October 05, 2018,, at McKale Center in Tucson, AZ. Washington defeated Arizona 3-0. ((Photo by Jacob Snow/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images))
MINNEAPOLIS - The University of Minnesota announced Monday morning that Keegan Cook has been named the next Gophers’ volleyball coach.
Cook replaces Hugh McCutcheon, who won 277 matches in 11 seasons, led the Gophers to eight NCAA Sweet 16s and three Final 4s. The Gophers and Cook have agreed to a five-year contract, pending approval from the Board of Regents. McCutcheon announced back on October he would be stepping down as volleyball coach after the 2022 season and taking on a newly-created role as assistant athletic director and sport development coach.
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Gophers volleyball coach Hugh McCutcheon talks stepping away after 2022 season
The University of Minnesota volleyball team is getting ready to face Iowa and Purdue this week, and on Tuesday, coach Hugh McCutcheon spoke with reporters for the first time since announcing the 2022 season would be his last with the Gophers.
The Gophers’ season came to an end last Thursday in a 3-1 loss to Ohio State at the NCAA Sweet 16 in Texas.
Cook becomes the program’s third full-time head coach since 1996. Cook, 37, spent the last eight seasons as the head coach at Washington
"I am thrilled to welcome Keegan, his wife Sarah and their son, Oliver, to Minnesota," Gophers Athletic Director Mark Coyle said in a statement. "Keegan prioritizes a holistic coaching approach and has been successful at every stop on his journey. He has a proven record of success when it comes to recruiting, developing and coaching student-athletes, and he knows what it takes to compete for conference and national championships. Gopher volleyball is tremendously important to the Minnesota community, but it is also a national program that has an ever-expanding fan base and competes at an extremely high level. I know Keegan is ready to get to work, and I am looking forward to him leading the Gophers."
In eight seasons with the Huskies, Cook led the program to four Pac-12 titles and eight trips to the NCAA Tournament. He led Washington to four Elite 8 appearances, and one Final Four.
Cook went 198-56, including 107-33 in Pac-12 play, in eight seasons at Washington.
"It is an honor to lead a historic program in Minnesota and compete in the best conference in the nation in the Big Ten," Cook said in a statement. "I want to thank President Joan Gabel, Director of Athletics Mark Coyle, Deputy Athletic Director Julie Manning and the entire search committee for trusting me to lead the Gophers. I am looking forward to getting to know the team, the alumni and engaging with the passionate fans and volleyball community in Minnesota. I can’t wait to get started."