Minnesota Volleyball: Gopher Coach Hugh McCutcheon to be Inducted in International Volleyball Hall of Fame

On Thursday it was announced that Minnesota Golden Gophers volleyball coach Hugh McCutcheon will be one of five inductees to the 2018 class of the International Volleyball Hall of Fame. The ceremony will take place on November 10th in Holyoke, Massachusetts the birthplace of the sport of volleyball. McCutcheson will most likely miss the Gophers matches at home at the Pav against Indiana on November 9th and Purdue on November 10th.

The International Volleyball Hall of Fame voters are past International Volleyball Hall of Fame inductees. 140 individuals representing 24 different countries will have been inducted into the International Volleyball Hall of Fame after the induction of the 2018 class. Joining McCutcheon in the IVHOF in 2018 will be world class men’s volleyball players Gilberto “Giba” Godoy Filho from Brazil and Bas van de Goor from the Netherlands, Russian women’s player Evgenia Artamonova Estes and Japanese leader in the sport, Hiroshi Toyoda.

McCutcheon has the following to say in the official U of M press release:

“Being inducted into the International Volleyball Hall of Fame is such a humbling and profound honor It’s quite surreal. In a profession that doesn’t allow for much looking back, this type of thing forces you to reflect and I just feel extremely grateful to all of the people that I’ve shared this journey with. I consider it a wonderful privilege to be inducted with this 2018 class. They have all had a profound positive influence on the game of volleyball. It’s an honor to be inducted with them.”

McCutcheon began his career as a player, but it has been as a coach where he has made a profound impact on the sport. McCutcheon played on New Zealand’s where he played on the junior and senior national teams from 1986-90 before coming to the United States. He would play for BYU from 1991 through 1993, and was a member of New Zealand’s national team in 1996 and represented his country on the FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour in 1997.

He began his coaching career at BYU. McCutcheon was the top assistant coach and recruiter for BYU men’s team from 1995- 2001. During that time, the Cougars posted a record of 138-44 and captured two NCAA championships (1999 and 2001). He has also served as the head coach of the U.S. Boys’ Youth National Team in 2000 and 2001.

After coaching a few seasons in Europe, he joined USA Volleyball as a full-time assistant coach for the men’s national team program in April 2003. He took over the top spot in 2005 and as the head coach of the U.S. Men’s National Team at the 2008 Olympic Games, McCutcheon and Team USA went undefeated in Beijing to claim its third Olympic Games gold medal and its first podium finish since 1992. He compiled a 107-33 record in four years with the U.S. Men’s National Team program, which ended 2008 ranked second in the FIVB World Ranking.

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 mentored 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.

He took over the Gopher program in the fall of 2012 and has has led the Gophers to two NCAA Final Fours, two Sweet 16 finishes and an Elite Eight appearance in just six years. Since arriving at Minnesota, McCutcheon owns a 162-43 career record and a 89-31 mark in Big Ten play. he also was named the 2015 AVCA National Coach of the Year and 2015 Big Ten Coach of the Year,

Congrats to Coach McCutcheon on am amazing honor!