University of Minnesota Athletics
Volleyball
- Position:
- Head Coach
- Alma Mater:
- BYU, 1993
- Twitter:
Hugh McCutcheon's 11 Seasons at Minnesota:
- Eight-straight NCAA Sweet 16-or-better tournament finishes
- 10 NCAA Tournament selections
- 2015, 2016 and 2019 NCAA Final Four appearances
- 2015 and 2018 Big Ten Champions
- 2015 and 2018 Big Ten Coach of the Year
- 2018 AVCA Coach of the Year
- 10 Sweet 16's and Five Elite Eight's
- Six Big Ten Players of the Year (six of last eight have been Gophers)
- One AVCA/ESPNw National Player of the Year (Sarah Wilhite, 2016)
- The only coach in the Big Ten to win 15-or-more conference games from 2015-22
- 39 All-Big Ten selections
- 26 All-America honors (12 first team)
READ: 10 Years of Hugh McCutcheon
Hugh McCutcheon completed his 11th and final season at the helm of Golden Gopher Volleyball program in 2022. Named the 2015 AVCA National Coach of the Year and 2015/2018 Big Ten Coach of the Year, McCutcheon continued building Minnesota into a perennial powerhouse. Since arriving on campus in 2012, McCutcheon has led the Gophers to three NCAA Final Fours, two Big Ten Championships, 10 Sweet 16 finishes and five Elite Eight 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.
In his final season in charge in 2022, the Golden Gophers (22-9, 15-5 Big Ten) navigated a difficult schedule to finish with 20+ wins and 15+ Big Ten wins for the eighth consecutive year. McCutcheon led the Gophers to eight ranked wins, including three top-10 ranked wins, with a sweep over defending national champions Wisconsin on Sept. 25. Hugh helped Minnesota its 27th NCAA Tournament appearance of all-time and 10th in his 11 years, where the Gophers made it to the Sweet 16 for the eighth time since 2015. Sophomore outside Taylor Landfair was named Big Ten Player of the Year, joined on the All-Big Ten First Team by junior setter Melani Shaffmaster and freshman middle Carter Booth. Graduate libero CC McGraw made All-Big Ten Second Team while Booth and rookie outside Mckenna Wucherer made the All-Freshman Team. All five of the previous players in addition to junior outside Jenna Wenaas were named AVCA All-Region. Eight Gophers were named to the Academic All-Big Ten Team in 2022 as well.
Minnesota made its seventh straight NCAA Tournament appearance during the 2021 season. The Gophers (23-9, 15-5 Big Ten) navigated a tremendously difficult schedule, playing a nation-high 17 ranked matches in their 29 total contests. Minnesota won nine of those matches, including four top-10 ranked wins. The Gophers came into the NCAA Tournament as the No. 12 seed and advanced to their fifth NCAA Regional Final under coach McCutcheon after defeating No. 5 Baylor in five sets. Minnesota would fall to eventual national champion Wisconsin in the Elite Eight to end the season.
One of the top players in Gophers history, Stephanie Samedy concluded her career at Minnesota in 2021 with her fifth straight AVCA All-America honor, including her fourth First Team All-America selection. Samedy had a stellar year, winning her second straight Big Ten Player of the Year award in addition to winning AVCA North Region Player of the Year. The five-time First Team All-Big Ten selection had the best year of her career, averaging a conference-best 5.32 points and 4.75 kills per set. Both figures ranked in the top-10 nationally. In addition to Samedy, libero CC McGraw made the All-Big Ten First Team for the second time in her career while sophomore outside Jenna Wenaas earned a spot on the second team. McGraw also made AVCA All-America Honorable Mention for the second time in three seasons.
Under coach McCutcheon, 12 different individuals have garnered 26 AVCA All-America honors. Stephanie Samedy and Samantha Seliger-Swenson (2015-18) combined for nine of those honors. Both are the only four-time all-americans in school history. Minnesota has also had an individual win the Big Ten Player of the Year award in five of the last seven seasons. Samedy won in both 2020-21 and 2021 while Seliger-Swenson won in 2018. Daly Santana (2015) and Sarah Wilhite (2016) were the two other winners. Wilhite also won AVCA and ESPNW National Player of the Year in 2016.
Minnesota Big Ten Player of the Year Awards (*Played for Hugh McCutcheon):
1983: Martie Larsen
2000: Nicole Branagh
2003: Cassie Busse
2015: Daly Santana*
2016: Sarah Wilhite*
2018: Samantha Seliger-Swenson*
2020-21: Stephanie Samedy*
2021: Stephanie Samedy*
2022: Taylor Landfair*
McCutcheon helped the Gophers battle through a global pandemic to garner a 16-3 record (15-2 B1G) and a second place finish in the Big Ten in 2020-21. The Gophers played a Big Ten-only schedule prior to the NCAA Tournament, going 5-2 against top-25 opponents and earning the No. 3 overall seed in the national tournament. In addition to making the Sweet 16 for the sixth time in a row, senior Stephanie Samedy became the first Gopher in program history to become a four-time AVCA All-American. She was also named Big Ten Player of the Year, Minnesota's fourth conference player of the year award winner in the past six seasons.
The Gophers remain well positioned for the future after bringing in the nation's No. 1 recruiting class in 2020 while reeling in another top-10 class in 2021. Samedy and Big Ten All-Freshman Team selections Taylor Landfair and Melani Shaffmaster return in 2021, while senior libero/ds CC McGraw is set to anchor what should be a very formidable defense.
Under McCutcheon's guidance, the Golden Gophers advanced to their third Final Four appearance in just five seasons in 2019. As the Golden Gophers were riddled with injuries during the 2019 regular season, McCutcheon guided the team to a 17-3 Big Ten Conference record, which tied for second place. With a healthy team by postseason play, the Gophers advanced to the program's sixth NCAA Championship in program history. Minnesota finished 2019 with a 27-6 record as McCutcheon was named the AVCA North Region Coach of the Year. Regan Pittman, Stephanie Samedy and Alexis Hart all garnered All-America honors this past season.
McCutcheon and the 2018 Gophers went 19-1 in Big Ten play. The Gophers broke their school record of most wins in a conference season and longest conference win streak in program history, bettering their 15-match run in 2015. Overall, the Gophers went 27-4 in 2018 and held a Sweet 16 berth. Three individuals received All-America honors in Samantha Seliger-Swenson, Stephanie Samedy and Regan Pittman. In fact, those three also received First Team All-Big Ten honors, while Seliger-Swenson was named Big Ten Player of the Year.
The 2018 calendar year also marked a special accolade as he was inducted into the International Volleyball Hall of Fame, the first New Zealander to ever be inducted into the hall.
Coming off back-to-back Final Four appearances and graduating six 2016 seniors, Minnesota remained one of the top programs in NCAA Division I and Big Ten standings during the 2017 campaign. The Golden Gophers advanced to the Sweet 16 and finished third in the Big Ten with a 28-6 overall record and a 15-5 mark in league action. The Golden Gophers had three individuals garner All-America and Big Ten honors, including First Team All-American Stephanie Samedy. She became Minnesota’s first-ever freshman to receive First Team All-America honors in school history. Minnesota finished 10th in the final AVCA poll, with a team that relied on five underclassmen that saw significant action.
Minnesota went 29-5 and 17-3 in league action during the 2016 campaign. Finishing in a tie for second place in the Big Ten, the Gophers were the No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament for the second straight year. Minnesota also went 17-0 at home during 2016, marking 36-straight wins at the Sports Pavilion, spanning back to the 2014 campaign. Under the direction of McCutcheon, Minnesota garnered its first-ever AVCA and ESPNW National Player of the Year when Sarah Wilhite received the award. With McCutcheon's guidance, Wilhite went from never recieving any yearly awards, to become the top play in the nation. Along with Wilhite, Samantha Seliger-Swenson and Hannah Tapp were named AVCA All-Americans. Wilhite was named the Big Ten Player of the Year, the second-straight Gopher to don the honor, while Seliger-Swenson was named Big Ten Setter of the Year.
Paige Tapp received the Senior CLASS Award, which goes to one graduating individual who excels on the court, in the classroom and in the community. Tapp also was named a First Team Academic All-American, her second honor in two years. The Gophers also added 10 Academic All-Big Ten selections during 2016.
Completing a historic year in 2015, McCutcheon led the Gophers to an impressive 30-5 overall record, a league-best 18-2 Big Ten mark, a perfect 15-0 on their home court and an unpredecented 15-match Big Ten win streak. Under McCutcheon's guidance, Minnesota garnered four All-Americans and three First Team All-Big Ten selections, as Daly Santana was named the Big Ten Player of the Year. Samantha Seliger-Swenson was also named Minnesota's first Big Ten Freshman of the Year in over two decades. With McCutcheon leading the way, the Golden Gophers won their second Big Ten Championship in school history in 2015 and earned their first trip to the NCAA Final Four since 2009.
McCutcheon 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. Immediately following his committment to Team USA, McCutcheon arrived in Minnesota in August of 2012. In his first season, McCutcheon led Minnesota to a 27-8 record in 2012 and just two sets shy of a Final Four appearance. With the Gophers advancing to the NCAA Elite Eight, McCutcheon coached Minnesota to a tie for second in the Big Ten Conference standings, while Katherine Harms and Tori Dixon earned first and second team All-America citations. He followed with a Sweet 16 appearance in 2013, was named the regional coach of the year, all while Dixon was named a First Team All-American as Ashley Wittman donned second team honors. Under McCutcheon's guidance, the Gophers finished the 2013 campaign with a 29-7 overall record and 15-5 mark in the Big Ten, which was third in league standings.
USA VOLLEYBALL
McCutcheon guided both the men's and women's indoor volleyball teams to Olympic medals, the only United States coach to ever 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.
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In his final three seasons with the women's program, McCutcheon guided the U.S. to an 88-25 record with podium finishes in 10 of 12 tournaments. In 2012, Team USA captured its second consecutive Olympic Games silver medal with a 7-1 record. In addition, the U.S. captured FIVB World Grand Prix gold medal for the third consecutive year. Team USA was 14-0 in the 2012 edition, including victories over Olympic Games bound Brazil twice (No. 2 in the world), Italy (No. 4), China (No. 5), Serbia (No. 6), Dominican Republic (No. 9) and Turkey (No. 11.).
The U.S. finished the 2011 season with a 39-10 record. Among the team's highlights were picking up the silver medal at the FIVB World Cup, their second consecutive FIVB World Grand Prix title, capturing the NORCECA Women's Continental Championship and winning the bronze medal at the Pan American Cup. Overall, the U.S. scored an 11-match victory improvement over 2010 and a 21-victory improvement from two years ago.
Team USA finished the 2010 season with a 28-13 record - a 10-match improvement in the victory column from the previous year. The U.S. claimed the silver medal at the Montreux Volley Masters and the bronze at the Pan American Cup in June 2010. The 2010 season was capped by a fourth-place finish at the FIVB World Championship.
In his first year leading the squad, McCutcheon was able to evaluate 30 players in international competitions, along with training several other players who were new or returning to the program. With the mix of youth and veterans, Team USA finished 2009 with an 18-14 record and provided vast experience for a young roster. The squad qualified for the 2010 FIVB World Grand Prix and 2010 FIVB World Championship based on results in 2009. The U.S. won the FIVB World Championship - NORCECA Group G third-round pool to advance to the FIVB World Championship at the end of 2010.
Less than four months after leading the U.S. Men's Olympic Volleyball Team to a gold medal at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing en route to being named the 2008 USOC National Coach of the Year, McCutcheon accepted the head coach position of the U.S. Women's National Team for the 2009-2012 Olympic quadrennial.
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.
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. Team USA secured its first-ever FIVB World League championship in July 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. The U.S. started the 2008 campaign in dominating fashion by sweeping all five matches at the NORCECA Men's Continental Olympic Qualifier to earn its berth in the 2008 Olympics.
McCutcheon started coaching the men's team in 2005. That season, the U.S. Men's Team flourished in going 27-6 and winning five medals in five tournaments. The team earned a silver medal at the USOC International Sports Invitational in San Diego, Calif., gold medals at the Americas' Cup in Brazil, the FIVB World Championship Qualifying Tournament in Puerto Rico and the NORCECA Continental Championship in Canada and another silver medal at the FIVB World Grand Champions Cup in Japan.
McCutcheon, a former Brigham Young University assistant coach, joined USA Volleyball as a full-time assistant coach for the men's national team program in April 2003.
Prior to that, in the summers of 2001 and 2002, respectively, he served as a volunteer assistant coach for the men's national team, helping out during the 2001 World League, the 2002 World Championships and on five international tours.
He has also served as the head coach of the U.S. Boys' Youth National Team in 2000 and 2001. McCutcheon was the top assistant coach and recruiter for BYU men's team from 1995- 2001 under head coach Carl McGown. During that time, the Cougars posted a record of 138-44 and captured two NCAA championships (1999 and 2001).
After leaving BYU, McCutcheon was the head coach of the Vienna Hotvolleys in Austria for two seasons. In his first season there, the Hotvolleys won the 2001-02 Inter-Liga, Austrian Cup and Austrian League championships. He also coached the first Austrian team to ever beat an Italian A1 opponent.
McCutcheon's love for volleyball developed in New Zealand where he played on the junior and senior national teams from 1986-90 before coming to the United States. He was also a member of New Zealand's national team in 1996 and represented his country on the FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour in 1997.
He played for BYU from 1991-1993 after transferring from the University of Canterbury in New Zealand. In 1993 he earned honorable mention All-America honors. In 1992 he earned Academic All-Conference honors from the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation.
After receiving his bachelor's degree in physical education from BYU in 1993, McCutcheon played professionally for two years in Finland and Japan before returning to BYU to complete his master's degree in 1998. In 1999, McCutcheon received an MBA from BYU's Marriott School of Management.
Married to former U.S. Olympian Elisabeth "Wiz" Bachman, the couple has two children, Andrew and Annika.
| Year By Year | ||||
| Year | School | Record | Postseason | Responsibilities |
| 2012 | Minnesota | 27-8 (15-5) | NCAA Regional Final | Head Coach |
| 2013 | Minnesota | 29-7 (15-5) | NCAA Regional Semifinal | Head Coach |
| 2014 | Minnesota | 19-12 (9-11) | Head Coach | |
| 2015 | Minnesota | 30-5 (18-2) | NCAA Final Four | Head Coach |
| 2016 | Minnesota | 29-5 (17-3) | NCAA Final Four | Head Coach |
| 2017 | Minnesota | 28-6 (15-5) | NCAA Regional Semifinal | Head Coach |
| 2018 | Minnesota | 27-4 (19-1) | NCAA Regional Semifinal | Head Coach |
| 2019 | Minnesota | 27-6 (17-3) | NCAA Final Four | Head Coach |
| 2020 | Minnesota | 16-3 (15-2) | NCAA Regional Semifinal | Head Coach |
| 2021 | Minnesota | 23-9 (15-5) | NCAA Regional Final | Head Coach |
| 2022 | Minnesota | 22-9 (15-5) | NCAA Regional Semifinal | Head Coach |
| Career | 11 Seasons | 277-74 (.789) | ||
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