Hugh McCutcheon (Christchurch, New Zealand) was named National Coach of the Year, while Ron Kordes (Louisville, Ky.) was selected Developmental Coach of the Year. McCutcheon guided the USA Men’s National Volleyball Team to 27 wins, five tournament medals and a pair of victories over two 2004 Olympic medalists. Kordes led the Assumption High School girls’ volleyball team to an unbeaten record and a national championship.

The USOC Coaching Recognition Program works to bring recognition and attention to the contribution coaches make to sport at all levels of athlete development. The sport’s 2005 honorees were chosen using criteria approved by the USOC, evaluating the accomplishments for each during the competition period beginning Jan. 1, 2005 and ending Dec. 31, 2005.

National Coach of the Year

The USA Men’s National Volleyball Team flourished under the guidance of first-year head coach Hugh McCutcheon during the 2005 season by 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 America's 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. The Americans finished the year ranked fifth in the world. The squad posted wins over the 2004 Olympic gold and silver medalists during the year ( Brazil and Italy, respectively), registered the highest winning percentage of any men’s national team since 1988 (.818) and recorded the most wins by a men’s team since 2000 (27). The Americans finished the year by winning 18 of their last 19 matches, including 14-straight at one point.

Developmental Coach of the Year

Ron Kordes has a long track record of success at both the high school and junior levels for girls volleyball, and the year 2005 was no different. Kordes’ 17th year as head coach of the Assumption High School girl’s volleyball team in Louisville, Ky., was arguably his best: his team captured the state championship for the 12th time in 17 years with a perfect 43-0 record and he was named the 2005 PrepVolleyball.com National Coach of the Year. Assumption, ranked No. 1 in the nation all season, captured PrepVolleyball.com’s 2005 national championship as well. Kordes has coached Assumption to the national high school championship four times. Kordes, who is the director of the Kentucky Indiana Volleyball Academy (KIVA), was also the head coach of a junior team that finished second at the USA Junior Olympic Girls Volleyball Championships (14-and-Under Gold Division) and captured an AAU Junior National Championship for the second-straight year.

Five coaches in each category will be selected as finalists for the USOC Coach of the Year and will be announced at the beginning of May. The National Coach of the Year Award -- along with honors for Developmental Coach of the Year, Volunteer Coach of the Year and the "Doc" Counsilman Science Award -- will be presented at the USOC General Assembly "Night of Champions" dinner on June 22, 2006, in La Jolla, Calif.

Article courtesy of USA Volleyball (www.usavolleyball.org)