Former University of Minnesota volleyball head coach and current Minnesota associate athletic director Hugh McCutcheon will be inducted into the American Volleyball Hall of Fame Coaches Association Hall of Fame on December 19 in Louisville, Ky. The banquet will be held in conjunction with the NCAA Division I Women’s Volleyball Championship and the AVCA National Convention.

“I am extremely grateful and truly honored to be inducted into the AVCA Hall of Fame,” McCutcheon said. “Being selected and recognized by my coaching peers makes this even more special.”

The induction marks the legendary coach’s Hall of Fame trifecta, as he has now garnered the highest honors within the AVCA (college), USA Volleyball (national), and International Hall of Fame levels. McCutcheon will become just the eighth coach to receive these three honors in the volleyball community.

McCutcheon will be inducted with longtime North Carolina coach Joe Sagula, athlete and coach Kathy Gregory, and the late longtime American University coach Barry Goldberg. These four inductees will help the AVCA reach 101 inductees since 2003.

In his 11-year span at Minnesota, McCutcheon led the Gophers to three final fours, two Big Ten Championships, five elite eight finishes and 10 Sweet 16 appearances. Named the 2015 AVCA National Coach of the Year, McCutcheon helped Minnesota continue as a volleyball powerhouse. He led the Gophers to a 277-74 record. That mark is Minnesota’s best win percentage, and he ranks second in school history behind coach Mike Hebert for overall wins. From 2015-22, McCutcheon was the only coach to win 15 or more conference games in that span. The two-time Big Ten Coach of the Year guided six players to Big Ten Player of the Year honors, while Sarah Wilhite was named the AVCA National Player of the Year in 2016. Minnesota recorded 26 All-America honors and 39 All-Big Ten honors during McCutcheon’s tenure.

The world-renowned coach came to Minnesota after an illustrious career with USA Volleyball as he earned two medals with the United States Men’s and Women’s Olympic teams and, to this day, the only coach to do so. McCutcheon mentored the U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team to a 106-39 record in his four years after leading the U.S. Men’s National Volleyball Team program to the 2008 Olympic Games gold medal. Counting his 107-33 record leading the U.S. Men’s program from 2005 to 2008, McCutcheon held a combined record of 213-72 with USA Volleyball.

McCutcheon was inducted into the International Volleyball Hall of Fame in 2018 and received USA Volleyball’s Harry E. Wilson Award for his service to International volleyball in 2024. During his USA career, McCutcheon was 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.

Hailing from Christchurch, New Zealand, McCutcheon is still active in the volleyball community. After retiring from coaching, McCutcheon was named a senior advisor for the International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) and attended the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics, helping to oversee the Indoor and Beach volleyball competitions.

(info courtesy of Gopher Sports)

Share this: