BEIJING - His players huddled at midcourt for an emotional moment of silence before their opening men's volleyball match of the Beijing Olympics, closing their eyes and remembering all the things he had taught them to help reach this point.

But coach Hugh McCutcheon was there only in thoughts and prayers.

The former Brigham Young player and assistant coach missed what should have been his Olympic debut as the American coach on Sunday, one day after his wife's parents were stabbed - one of them, fatally - in a shocking attack that rattled the nation's volleyball community and the American delegation here.

"It's an unthinkable tragedy," fellow former Cougar Rich Lambourne said. "Especially at a time like this, when Hugh has put in so much time and effort into getting us to this point. Our hearts and our thoughts and our prayers go out to their family."

A defensive specialist on the team, Lambourne was among a fleet of current and former Cougars who struggled to momentarily put aside their emotions to beat Venezuela in five games at the Capital Gymnasium. He and Highland's Ryan Millar played for McCutcheon and former head coach Carl McGown while winning the first of two BYU national championships in 1999. McGown is now a scout for the U.S. team, and Millar also coached the Cougars for one season, and current Cougar Joel Silva plays for Venezuela.

"We were supposed to be in a party," Silva said, "and we're in a funeral."

Almost the entire American staff has strong ties to the Cougars, with assistant coach Ron Larsen - elevated to interim coach, with McCutcheon uncertain to return - having played club volleyball at BYU years ago and consultant coach Marv Dunphy earning a doctorate there. Team leader Rob Browning is a former volunteer assistant for the Cougars.

All of them felt horrible.

"He's sorely missed on the sideline by the players, the coaches and myself," Larsen said. "I'd much rather be sitting on the bench, telling him what I think he should be doing - and having him say 'I don't think so' - rather than where I am right now."

The 38-year-old McCutcheon is married to former Olympic volleyball player Elisabeth "Wiz" Bachman-McCutcheon, whose father, Todd Bachman, was killed in the assault at the ancient Drum Tower at midday Saturday. Her mother, Barbara Bachman, was seriously injured.

McCutcheon expressed gratitude for the "outpouring of assistance and generosity" his family has received since his wife's parents were brutally attacked.

"We'd like to thank everyone who has kept our families in their thoughts and prayers throughout our difficult time," McCutcheon and his wife said in a statement released by the U.S. Olympic Committee. "We send a special thank you to the people of Beijing, the people of New Zealand, and of course, the people of America. We have been lifted up by the outpouring of support and love we've received from around the world."

Barbara Bachman was upgraded to serious from critical today, the USOC said, as she recovers at a local hospital.

"The long list of people who have offered their assistance, kind words and prayers to us has been incredible," the McCutcheons said. "This letter cannot do justice in acknowledging the love and support we've felt."

Players learned of the stabbings shortly after McCutcheon took a phone call during practice on Saturday. He left the workout and word spread quickly. Former Highland High star Logan Tom played with Bachman-McCutcheon on the national team and turned away in tears when asked about her former teammate's family following a victory over Japan on Saturday night.

Late that evening, McCutcheon spoke to his players on a conference call in the Olympic village.

"He gave us a little bit of reassurance to move on," outside hitter Riley Salmon said. "To try to focus on what we came here to do. We've all invested so much of our lives, as he has. It was great to hear his voice. We just have to try to trust what he says."

Millar said the players wanted to somehow add a symbol of commemoration to their jerseys for the match, but didn't have time. Instead, they scrawled the Bachmans' initials on the backs of their shoes and vowed to press on with their quest for a medal.

The tragedy has attracted enormous attention, with a throng of reporters crowding around Larsen and the players after the match. The Americans are trying to win their first medal since earning bronze in 1992, and play four more preliminary games before the quarterfinals.

"The best thing way we can honor them at this juncture is the only thing that we can do," Larsen said, "and that's to go out and compete every day and play hard every day and enjoy and love the game of volleyball."

It is unknown whether McCutcheon will return to the team during the Olympics.

mcl@sltrib.com