Photo Gallery

Over the past decade, U.S. Men's Volleyball team has been looking to return to the greatness it experienced in the 1980s and '90s when it won two Olympic gold medals (1984 and '88) and a bronze (1992) as well as an FIVB World Cup (1985) and World Championship (1986).

In 2006, the team moved its headquarters from the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo., to the American Sports Center in Anaheim, Calif. While the move did not pay dividends immediately -- the team finished 10th at both the 2006 World League and World Championship -- things improved greatly in 2007.

Now ranked third in the world following a third-place finish at the 2007 World League and a fourth-place at the 2007 World Cup, the U.S. Men could be on the verge of greatness, thanks to a roster of veterans and younger players led by Head Coach Hugh McCutcheon.

USA made it to the final round of the World League (in Katowice, Poland) last year for the first time since 2000 and they defeated hometown favourite Poland, 3-1 for a third-place finish.

Third place is the best World League finish for the United States since 1992, when it also placed third. U.S. libero Rich Lambourne was named Best Libero for the 2007 World League.

Team USA started brilliantly at the 2007 World Cup by defeating Brazil in three sets. But that victory was followed by two straight losses to the lower-ranked Puerto Rico and Spain. They recovered in the subsequent matches but a five-set loss to Russia in their final match meant Brazil, they missed out on the available Olympic spots.

A few weeks later, the U.S. Team made sure of a place in Beijing in the NORCECA Men's Continental Olympic Qualifier in Caguas, Puerto Rico. The U.S. Men won the tournament with a 5-0 record and without dropping a set, downing Puerto Rico in the Final.

Four members of the U.S. Men's National Team were honored for their play. Rich Lambourne was named best libero and best receiver. Rooney won best spiker. Millar was named top blocker and Stanley took best server.

The U.S. Men were looking to improve on their 2007 World League performance at the 2008 World League shortly before leaving for the Beijing Games.

U.S. Men's National Volleyball Team Head Coach Hugh McCutcheon, 38, a native of Christchurch, New Zealand, has guided his team to a No. 3 world ranking and qualification for the Olympics.

However, it has taken a little longer than he hoped.

A fourth-place finish at the FIVB World Cup (where the top three teams qualified for the Olympics) at the end of 2007 meant the team had to travel to Caguas, Puerto Rico for the NORCECA Men’s Continental Olympic Qualifying Championship on Jan. 6-11. The U.S. Men won five straight matches without dropping a set to win the tournament and qualify for the Olympic Games.

"I feel relieved and excited," McCutcheon said. "The team rose to the occasion and we executed in all the aspects of the game. So many guys performed at their highest level and with a lot of energy."

McCutcheon was selected to become the new Head Coach of the U.S. team on Feb. 3, 2005. A former Brigham Young University (BYU) assistant coach, he joined USA Volleyball as a full-time assistant coach for the Men's National Team program in April 2003. McCutcheon was no stranger to the organization. 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.

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, and he had the opportunity to work with USA National Team players Rich Lambourne, Dave McKienzie, Reid Priddy and Brandon Taliaferro.

McCutcheon played on the New Zealand Junior and Senior National Teams from 1988-90 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.