London Olympics: U.S. women’s volleyball has new style, expectations

LONDON — He changed the training site from Colorado Springs, Colo., to Anaheim. He changed the culture from one of rigid structure to one of freedom yet accountability.

Now, Coach Hugh McCutcheon hopes to change the U.S. women’s indoor volleyball team’s medal color. And though the affable-yet-intense New Zealand native asks, “Have you got a big notepad?” when asked about their main challengers, Team USA is the favorite to win gold for the first time.

If that happens, McCutcheon, who led the men’s team to gold at Beijing, will become the first coach to win consecutive golds with a men’s and women’s team and just the second overall to do so.Brazil’sJose Roberto Guimaraes, who led the Brazilian men to victory in 1992 and women in 2008, is the only other coach to perform this feat.

The world’s top-ranked team begins its quest Saturday against Korea.

PHOTOS: USA Women’s Volleyball

“Hugh has definitely brought a different look,” said three-time Olympian and captain Lindsey Berg. “He has changed our game to be more like the men’s.”

The women feature a dynamic hitter in Destinee Hooker, who sports a 42-inch vertical leap. They possess a steadying force in four-time Olympian Logan Tom. And they’re as deep as the Thames, winning a pre-Olympic tuneup with essentially substitutes as the main players rested.

Brazil, which defeated the U.S. in the gold-medal match at Beijing, remains strong. Russia, featuring the unique, 6-foot-8-inch Ekaterina Gamova, is another medal contender. But the U.S., which is 23-1 thus far in 2012 and features Karch Kiraly as an assistant, is confident.

“We feel we’re playing the best volleyball of the quad right now,” McCutcheon said. “So bring it on.”

McCutcheon has ably deflected all questions about his spotlight in Beijing, when he won an unexpected gold after his father-in-law was killed and mother-in-law getting seriously injured by a Chinese assailant on the eve of the Games. He has made clear this is a new story, a new journey.

Having already accepted the University of Minnesota’s women’s job, this could be McCutcheon’s last Olympics. It could be the last for Tom and Berg andDanielle Scott-Arruda, who is appearing in her fifth Olympics.

“We don’t focus on the past,” Berg said. “Hugh has his philosophies, how he wants to run a team, but lets us have great input. He knows how to win gold, and we respect him for that.

“We’ve really gotten into a rhythm of taking care of the little things and gelling as a team. We’re just really consistent as a group. We’ve earned [the No. 1 ranking], and hopefully we’ll prove it in the biggest show.”

kcjohnson@tribune.com

twitter.com/kcjhoop