Purdue University announced that head coach Katie Gearlds has added Slovenian guard Zoja Stirn to the women's basketball roster for the 2026‑27 season, marking the seventh international player on the Boilermakers' squad.
Stirn comes to West Lafayette after a season in the Slovenian Women’s Basketball League where she appeared in 23 games and posted averages of 10.6 points, 3.2 rebounds and 1.7 steals per contest, shooting 45 percent from the floor.
A Strategic Addition for the Boilermakers
Coach Gearlds highlighted the guard's defensive versatility and shooting efficiency as key assets that align with the program's emphasis on balanced play.
The signing underscores Purdue's continued reliance on global talent to compete at the highest level of collegiate basketball, a trend that has seen the roster enriched by athletes from Europe and beyond.
Stirn's arrival is expected to deepen the team's backcourt options and provide a reliable perimeter defender who can also contribute scoring when needed.
The move reflects a broader strategy by the athletics department to blend domestic excellence with international experience, a formula that has yielded recent successes on the national stage.