University of Minnesota Athletics
McCutcheon to Receive New Zealand Order of Merit
6/5/2016 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Wellington, New Zealand-Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II has announced that Christchurch, New Zealand native and University of Minnesota volleyball head coach Hugh McCutcheon has been appointed as a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit (MNZM).
The announcement comes in conjunction with The Queen's 90th Birthday Honours List 2016, announced today in New Zealand. A ceremony of the Order of Merit honorees will be held at the Government House in Wellington or Auckland at a later date. Orders of Merit was instituted in 1996 and awarded to those "who in any field of endeavor have rendered meritorious service to the Crown and nation or who have become distinguished by their eminence, talents, contributions or other merits."
McCutcheon made his mark internationally in the United States where he coached the USA Volleyball men's team to the gold medal in the 2008 Olympic Games, and the women's team to the silver medal in the 2012 Olympic Games. He is the only U.S. Olympic head coach to lead a men's and women's team to the podium. He was named the United States Olympic Committee Coach of the Year in 2008 and, five years later, received the USA Volleyball "All-time Great Coach" Award.
McCutcheon is coming off his best season at Minnesota where the Golden Gophers won their first Big Ten Conference title since 2002 and advanced to the program's first Final Four since 2009 with a 30-5 overall record. The Gophers held a program-best 18-2 mark in conference play, which led to a Big Ten Coach of the Year award. McCutcheon was named National Coach of the Year in 2015 by the American Volleyball Coaches Association, the only Minnesota coach to earn this honor. Since his arrival to Minnesota after the 2012 Olympic run, McCutcheon holds a 105-32 all-time record and has coached seven individuals to nine All-America selections.
McCutcheon has continued his work in the international arena by serving on the Federation International de Volleyball coaching commission. A frequent contributor to the New Zealand Volleyball community, he delivers regular professional development courses for coaches of all-codes. He has hosted numerous international coaches and teams at the USAV training center in Anaheim, Calif., and in Minneapolis. McCutcheon has also consulted with Sport New Zealand, Netball New Zealand and the Canterbury Crusaders coaching staff. In 2015, McCutcheon received Volleyball New Zealand's International Achievement Award and in 2015 was named a World Masters Games ambassador as New Zealand is set to host the games in 2017.
