ABOUT
HUGH McCUTCHEON
SPEAKER, AUTHOR, CONSULTANT, COACH
Originally from Christchurch, New Zealand, Hugh McCutcheon is a world-renowned volleyball coach who previously coached both the USA men’s and women’s national volleyball teams and the University of Minnesota’s women’s volleyball team. Notably, Hugh is the only USA Olympic team Coach to have coached both men and women to a podium finish. In 2018, he was inducted into the International Volleyball Hall of Fame.
Currently, Hugh works as the assistant athletics director and sports development coach at the University of Minnesota and consult full time with the International Volleyball Federation (FIVB). He is also the author of Championship Behaviors: A Model for Competitive Excellence in Sports and an in-demand public speaker.
COACHING CAREER
1995 - 2005
From 1995 to 2001, Hugh McCutcheon worked as an assistant coach at Brigham Young University, completing two Masters Degrees while helping lead the BYU program to win two NCAA National Championships (1999 and 2001).
During his time at BYU Hugh was invited to coach the USA Youth and Junior National teams in 1999 and 2000, which then led to an opportunity to work with the USA Men’s National Team during their 2001 World League campaign.
Hugh coached with Team USA during the summers of 2001 and 2002 and was the Head Coach of the Vienna HotVolleys in Austria, during the winter months. Over those two seasons, the team won the Inter-Liga Championship, the Austrian Cup, and the Austrian League championship. In 2003, Hugh left Austria to become a full-time assistant coach for the US Men’s team and helped coach the team to a 4th place finish at the 2004 Athens Olympics. In February of 2005, he was hired as the head coach of the USA Men’s National team.
PREVIOUS CAMPUS SPEAKING APPEARANCES
2012 - 2022
After London, Hugh started coaching collegiate women’s volleyball at the University of Minnesota. Throughout his 11 seasons the program held a 277-74 (.789) record (the highest winning percentage in Minnesota volleyball history) winning the Big Ten conference twice and competing in three NCAA Final Fours, two Elite eight appearances, and five sweet sixteen finishes. In 2015 Hugh was honored as the AVCA National Coach of the Year award and in 2015 and 2018 he was selected as the Big Ten Coach of the Year.
In 2023 Hugh’s transitioned from coaching to administration as Assistant Athletic Director/Sport Development Coach position at the University of Minnesota, where he continues to work today. In addition, Hugh consults full-time for the FIVB and speaks and consults with various corporations and sporting entities.
CHAMPIONSHIP BEHAVIORS
In addition to his coaching, speaking, and consulting, Hugh McCutcheon is also a published author. In his book, Championship Behaviors: A Model for Competitive Excellence in Sports, he combines his coaching experience with principles from the fields such as neuroscience, motor learning and psychology to create a framework for efficient and effective athlete development and achievement.
As a professional speaker, Hugh has delivered several talks to corporations and sporting entities, sharing his ideas and experiences on coaching, leadership, teams, and achievement. In 2021 he spoke at TEDxFargo on ‘Championship Behaviors’ and the role of sport in society, and he frequently appears on podcasts and at corporate events.
INDIVIDUAL
AWARDS AND HONORS
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Inducted into the USA Volleyball Hall of Fame (2024)
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Inducted into the International Volleyball Hall of Fame (2018)
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Awarded the New Zealand Order of Merit (MNZM) for Services to Volleyball (2016)
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AVCA Coach of the Year award (2015)
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Big Ten Coach of the Year award (2015, 2018)
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USA Volleyball All-Time Great Coach Award (2013)
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United States Olympic Committee Coach of the Year (2008)
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United States Olympic Committee Volleyball Coach of the Year (2008, 2010, 2011)
Notably, Hugh is the only USA Olympic team Coach to have coached both men and women to a podium finish.
2005 - 2012
Under Hugh’s coaching, the USA Men’s team finished the quadrennial with a 107-33 record. The team won the Americas Cup and NORCECA zone championships in 2005 and 2007, they also took the silver medal at the 2005 FIVB Grand Champions Cup, the bronze medal in the 2007 FIVB World League and were World League champions in 2008 (the USA’s first FIVB World League title). In 2008 the team won the Gold Medal at the Beijing Olympic Games.
Having achieved all that he had set out to accomplish with the USA men, Hugh accepted a new position as Head Coach of the U.S. Women’s National Team in December of 2008. During his time coaching the team they posted a 106-30 record and won three consecutive FIVB World Grand Prix titles, the 2011 NORCECA championships, a silver medal at the 2011 FIVB World Cup and a Silver Medal at the 2012 London Olympics. The team was ranked #1 in the world in 2011 AND 2012.
PLAYING CAREER
Hugh started playing volleyball in 1985 at Shirley Boys High School in Christchurch, New Zealand. He was selected to the NZL junior National team in 1988 and played on the NZL National team in 1989 and 1990. Hugh was offered the opportunity to leave New Zealand and play college volleyball in the USA at Brigham Young University
After college, Hugh began a professional career that saw him play in both Finland and Japan before eventually returning to BYU in 1995 to begin his coaching career as an assistant with the BYU Men’s Volleyball program.
