BEIJING - Hugh McCutcheon looked around the gym floor for someone, anyone, with a cell phone in their hand. The U.S. men's volleyball coach had left his in the locker room Sunday. But he could not wait another minute to call his wife, Elisabeth Bachman McCutcheon, and share his gold medal moment with her.

The U.S. men won the Olympic tournament with a hard-fought 20-25, 25-22, 25-21, 25-23 victory over Brazil only 15 days after Elisabeth's parents were attacked and her father killed in Beijing. With the Bachmans' initials etched on their shoes, the Americans shoved aside the pain of the past two weeks and filled their coach's heart with a joy he had not felt in a long, long time. As the players embraced and wept, McCutcheon put his hands to his shaven head, walked off the Capital Gymnasium court and took a deep breath.

Then he borrowed a cell phone to call Elisabeth, who had been watching on television back in Minnesota. Hours after funeral plans were announced for Todd Bachman, McCutcheon's team took him to the other end of the emotional spectrum with U.S. volleyball's first Olympic gold in 20 years.

"I called Wizzie, and she said, 'You won! You won! You won!'" McCutcheon said. "We were just listening to each other smiling on the phone.

"On the one hand, I mourn the loss of my father-in-law greatly, and my heart aches for my wife and family and for the loss. On the other hand, I'm extremely proud of and happy for my team and the USA Volleyball organization for the things we've been able to achieve. Those are the two emotions I have, and they're conflicted, obviously. But I cannot change what's happened. I can just embrace what's occurred and try to deal with it accordingly."

The unexpected victory helped lift a touch of the sadness that had veiled the entire U.S. volleyball delegation since the Aug. 9 attack. The Bachman family was touring Beijing's Drum Tower when Todd and Barbara were stabbed in an apparently random attack by a man who then committed suicide. Todd was killed, and Barbara is recovering steadily from serious abdominal wounds.

Elisabeth accompanied her mother home to Minnesota as Hugh's team roared through pool play and into the semifinals. The Americans' fierce, all-for-one style carried them past Serbia and Russia in the medal round and into a gold medal meeting with the world's top-ranked team on the Games' final day.

As Brazilians sang and waved flags in the stands, their team took the first set. The United States maintained its composure and earned tight victories in the next two sets as the momentum shifted constantly and the tension built. Players skidded on their bellies to chase down balls, dived to stop lethal spikes and gave every ounce of energy to keep play alive.

Down 20-17 in the fourth set, the United States rode Clay Stanley's exceptional blocking to a 23-21 lead. The tournament's most valuable player delivered a kill to end the match, sending McCutcheon and his staff spilling onto the court with their arms in the air.

"My first emotion is shock," outside hitter Reid Priddy said. "This is extremely emotional for so many reasons. We've all invested our lives in this sport, and to hear our anthem played, that's something you think about when you're 12 years old.

"This win doesn't bring back Todd. But they invested their lives in this, too, and I know they're happy. Our prayers will continue to be with their family. We know this is a bittersweet time. We're just happy to come out on top."

After the attack, McCutcheon left his team in the care of assistant coaches so he could stay at Barbara Bachman's bedside. When her condition stabilized, his wife encouraged him to return to his players and see them through the Olympic tournament.

The Games represented the culmination of McCutcheon's four-year project to remake the American team. The medal was the Americans' first gold in men's volleyball since its back-to-back Olympic titles of 1984 and 1988. The third Olympic gold medal ties Russia's record for most won by any nation.

McCutcheon had encouraged his players to step outside the shadow of the U.S. glory days of the 1980s and create their own identity and legacy. His development of a selfless culture and strong team spirit helped the U.S. to a stunning victory in volleyball's World League, but it still was considered a long shot for Olympic gold.

The Americans finished the Olympic tournament with an 8-0 record. "From the first set, everybody believed in it,'' said U.S. player Gabriel Gardner. "We were making incredible plays. It's like the story came true. It happened. This is how it should end."

Elisabeth McCutcheon sent the team an e-mail Saturday night to wish them luck. Others were rooting for them, too. Since the incident, the global volleyball community -- as well as friends and strangers everywhere from Minnesota to Hugh McCutcheon's native New Zealand -- has sent prayers and good wishes.

Brazilian player Gilberto Godoy Filho opened his postmatch remarks by shaking McCutcheon's hand and offering sympathy. "It was a difficult match," he said. "But I am sorry for what happened with your team. That is life, family. That is more important than the match."

Shortly after the victory, McCutcheon boarded a plane back to the United States to rejoin his family. His mother, Milly, will come from New Zealand for Todd Bachman's funeral Friday in Lakeville.

McCutcheon felt he owed it to his players -- who had committed so fully to his plan -- to give himself over to them until their Olympic story had ended. He now will shift back to comforting his wife and working through his sorrow.

"There is a lot of work to do, a lot of grieving to come," McCutcheon said. "I'll look on this gold medal with a lot of satisfaction. I'll think, 'It was wonderful. What a great team, what a great thing to be part of.' And I'll mourn the loss of my father-in-law as well.

"I would imagine [Todd Bachman] would have been extremely proud of what this team accomplished. It hasn't been easy. Throw in the emotional load this team has had to deal with, and for them to come through and be this good is a wonderful achievement. I think he'd be very proud."