Former University of Minnesota volleyball head coach and current Minnesota assistant athletic director Hugh McCutcheon will be inducted into the USA Volleyball Hall of Fame on May 22 in Columbus, Ohio. McCutcheon will be inducted with volleyball leaders Jennifer Armson-Dyer, Doug Beal, Fred Buehler, Kevin Twohig and Kevin Wendelboe.
The Hall of Fame ceremony will occur one day before the 2024 USA Volleyball Open National Championship starts at the Greater Columbus Convention Center. McCutcheon is receiving the Harry E. Wilson award for his service to International volleyball.
McCutcheon, a world-renowned coach, was inducted into the International Volleyball Hall of Fame in 2018. He was also awarded the 2008 USOC National Coach of the Year, three-time USOC National Volleyball Coach of the Year, the 2013 USA Volleyball All-time great coach award, and the 2016 New Zealand Order of Merit. He served as the secretary of the FIVB technical and coaches commission from 2012-2016, and then served as President of that same commission from 2017 until 2021. He currently consults with the FIVB as a senior advisor.
McCutcheon led the U.S. Men’s National Volleyball Team program to the 2008 Olympic Games gold medal in Beijing. The U.S. Men’s National Team enjoyed one of its best seasons ever in 2008 under McCutcheon’s guidance as the team won all three of its major tournaments of the year, including USA’s first-ever FIVB World League championship in 2008 after a bronze medal finish in the same event in 2007, the first time the Americans earned back-to-back medals in the annual event.
Less than four months after leading the U.S. men to gold, McCutcheon transitioned to the head coach position of the U.S. Women’s National Team. He led the U.S. women to a 106-39 record in his four years, including the 2012 Olympic Games silver medal in London, becoming one of only two coaches in history to win medals with both genders. The team also won three consecutive FIVB Grand Prix titles in 2010, 2011, and 2012 and were ranked #1 in the World in 2012.
After his tenure with USA Volleyball, McCutcheon was the head coach at the University of Minnesota for 11 seasons. Named the 2015 AVCA National Coach of the Year and 2015/2018 Big Ten Coach of the Year, McCutcheon helped Minnesota continue its legacy as a perennial volleyball powerhouse. Since arriving on campus in 2012, McCutcheon led the Gophers to three NCAA Final Fours, two Big Ten Championships, five Elite Eight finishes and 10 Sweet 16 appearances in his 11 years. He held a 277-74 (.789) collegiate coaching record. By percentage, he’s the winningest Minnesota volleyball coach of all time and trails only Mike Hebert for most wins by a Gophers head coach.
McCutcheon’s love for volleyball developed in New Zealand, where he played on the junior and senior national teams from 1988-90 before coming to the United States to play collegiately. He was also a New Zealand national team member in 1996 and represented his country on the FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour in 1997.
Hugh McCutcheon
(info and photo courtesy of Gopher Sports)
