| Madisen Skinner | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Personal information | |||||
| Nickname | Madi | ||||
| Born | (2001-07-01)July 1, 2001 (age 24)[1] Katy, Texas, United States | ||||
| Height | 6 ft 2 in (188 cm) | ||||
| College / University | Kentucky (2020–2021) Texas (2022–2024) | ||||
| Volleyball information | |||||
| Position | Outside hitter/ Opposite | ||||
| Current club | LOVB Austin | ||||
| Number | 16 | ||||
| Career | |||||
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| National team | |||||
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Madisen Skinner (born July 1, 2001) is an American professionalvolleyball player who plays forLOVB Austin and theUnited States national team. She played college volleyball for theKentucky Wildcats and theTexas Longhorns, winning threeNCAA championships (with Kentucky in2020 and Texas in2022 and2023). She won theHonda Sports Award as the best player in college volleyball in 2023.
Skinner was raised inKaty, Texas, the daughter of Rebecca andBrian Skinner.[2] Her father played professional basketball in theNBA, and her sisterAvery was an All-American volleyball player at Kentucky.[2] She started playing volleyball seriously at age 15 and was on the Houston Skyline club team.[3] She played high school volleyball for the Homeschool Christian Youth Association for three years, then transferred toFaith West Academy for her senior year in 2019–20.[4] She co-captained the team and received All-American recognition.[2][5] She committed to Kentucky as one of the top recruits of the class of 2020.[6]
Skinner played alongside her sisterAvery in her first year with theKentucky Wildcats in 2020–21.[6] That season, she recorded 2.85 kills per set on a career-high .384 hitting percentage and was recognized withSoutheastern Conference (SEC) all-freshman and All-SEC honors.[7] She recorded a season-high 19 kills on .455 hitting in the2020 national title game againstTexas, helping the Wildcats win their first national championship.[8][9] In her second year in 2021, she led the Wildcats with 3.78 kills per set on .282 hitting, again earning All-SEC honors.[2][9] She entered theNCAA transfer portal after the season, choosing Texas following head coachJerritt Elliott's recruitment effort.[3][9]
Skinner was selected as a co-captain in her first year at Texas in 2022, recording 3.66 kills per set on .307 hitting, and was named first-team All-Big 12 Conference and third-team All-American.[2][10] She helped lead the Longhorns to a 28–1 record and the2022 national championship, their first national title since 2012, recording 12 kills in the final againstLouisville.[11][12] In the 2023 season, she led the Big 12 with a career-high 4.80 kills per set and was named the Big 12 player of the year and first-team All-American.[3][13] She led the Longhorns to defend their title at theNCAA tournament and was named the event's most outstanding player, recording 18 kills and a career-high 6 aces againstWisconsin in the semi-finals and 16 kills againstNebraska in the final.[13][14] She received national player of the year honors from VolleyballMag.com and theHonda Sports Award and was named the Big 12's female athlete of the year.[15][16][17] Skinner had a down year in her fifth season, hitting only .277 as Texas failed to defend their national title, falling in theNCAA tournament regional semifinals. She nevertheless made 4.35 kills per set and was named first-team All-Southeastern Conference.[2][18]
In December 2024, Skinner joinedLOVB Austin ahead ofLOVB Pro's inaugural season.[19] Austin was fifth of six teams in the 2025 regular season, going 5–11. However, in the inaugural LOVB finals, Austin clicked and completed two reverse sweeps, againstSalt Lake andAtlanta, before winning the championship game in three sets overOmaha. Skinner had 17 kills and 4 blocks in the title game and was named LOVB Finals MVP.[20][21]
Skinner was first selected to represent theUnited States national team at the2024 FIVB Women's Volleyball Nations League.[22]
Skinner was named to the wide roster in the2025 Volleyball Nations League playing as an Outside in week one and more recently on the Opposite for week two. In week two in Belgrade, Skinner scored 32 points leading her team to a 3-2 victory against Serbia[23]
