McGown Joins USA Team

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - Former Brigham Young University head coach Carl McGown has joined the coaching staff of the USA men's national volleyball team as a consultant, USA Volleyball announced Thursday.

McGown is no stranger to USA Volleyball. From 1973-76 he served as head coach of the USA men's national team. He was a technical advisor for the 1980 men's national team and, since 1984, he has served as a men's assistant coach for Team USA in five consecutive Olympic Games (1984, 1988, 1992, 1996 and 2000).

Last year he assisted Team USA head coach Doug Beal and the men's program at the World Championships in Argentina. In fact, McGown has been a part of eight men's coaching staffs at the World Championships since 1970 (1970, 1974, 1982, 1986, 1990, 1994, 1998 and 2002).

"I think we're just incredibly lucky to be able to work out an arrangement where we can add a coach of Carl's experience and stature to our staff as we head towards the qualifying process, and ultimately the Olympic Games," said Beal. "My relationship with Carl goes back more than 30 years, and there is nobody I can think of who I would rather have on my staff helping to train players and to prepare the team for the qualification process and the Olympics."

In 2000, USA Volleyball presented McGown with the All-Time Great Coach Award in the Donald S. Shondell Contemporary Division. In 1988, he was recognized by the organization with the Leader in Volleyball Award.

"In the world of volleyball, if I were going to pick up the phone and ask one person's opinion on any subject, the first person I would call would be Carl," Beal added. "He brings a really unique ability to teach and as diverse and extensive and experienced background as anybody we can ever have."

Current Team USA assistant coaches Rob Browning and Hugh McCutcheon have worked for McGown in the past. Browning was a volunteer assistant coach at BYU from 1997-99, while McCutcheon assisted McGown at BYU from 1995-2001.

"It's exciting to be able to have the opportunity to work with Doug, Hugh (McCutcheon) and Rob (Browning)," said McGown. "They are all good friends and wonderful coaches."

In addition to his vast national team experience, McGown brings a wealth of experience and success as a collegiate head coach to the team.

He was named the American Volleyball Coaches Association Men's National Coach of the Year in 1999 and 2001 after leading the Cougars to NCAA national championships in each of those seasons.

He retired from BYU in 2002 after 14 seasons as the only head coach of the men's volleyball program. McGown posted a record of 205-131 (.610) during his tenure and led the Cougars to top-five finishes in the national rankings in seven of his last 10 seasons. In his final season, BYU posted a record of 23-7 and was ranked No. 3 in the final national poll.

McGown was also considering some coaching opportunities in Switzerland when the opportunity to consult Team USA came about.

"I had a couple of irons in the fire, but Doug's iron was the best one," said McGown, who admits he did miss coaching since his retirement from BYU. "And it required a quicker response. It was clearly the decision to make.

"I still want to go to Switzerland some day," McGown reveals, "But only after we do a great job at the Olympics in Greece."