Madisen Skinner: The Texas Volleyball Star at a Crossroads
MADISEN SKINNER TRUDGES toward an empty table on an Austin sidewalk, her yoga mat slung over her shoulder. It’s 5:30 p.m. on a warm October day, and the Texas volleyball star looks like she’s carrying more than just her mat. She sighs as she plops it onto a chair.
Skinner is heading to yoga class on a rare day off for the Texas volleyball team. She’s wearing a touch of makeup, but it doesn’t hide the exhaustion etched on her face. The two-time defending national champions are reeling after a shocking five-set loss to Texas A&M the night before, the first of what would become a stunning three-game losing streak at home.
“You looked good yesterday,” I say to Skinner. “How did you feel?”
“What happened yesterday?” she asks, her voice distant.
“Um, the match?”
“Oh right,” she says, pivoting quickly. “I haven’t breathed since.”
The 23-year-old fifth-year senior has been running on fumes. After getting home past midnight, she attended two morning classes, had back-to-back calls with her agents to discuss her professional volleyball options, and walked her three-legged dog, Finley, before meeting me for yoga.
As she orders a blueberry smoothie from a nearby juice shop, the man at the counter peeks out the door. “Do you go to UT?” he asks. Skinner nods. “Do you play volleyball?” he continues. She nods again. “It’s her!” he exclaims to a coworker, and a young woman rushes out to meet her. “You’re Madi Skinner,” she says, starstruck.
Skinner flashes a polite smile, but her lips tighten as she nods. Being Madi Skinner means being a Texas volleyball star, a three-time national champion, and a player who can dominate a match with her athleticism. But it also means being the face of a dynasty that’s suddenly in danger and questioning whether volleyball should be part of her future.
For now, mercifully, it means she’s off to yoga.
Searching for Answers
MADI SKINNER CAN’T pinpoint what’s wrong. She’s sleeping well, eating right, watching film, and getting more reps in practice than ever before. But her passing is failing her. “The ball comes off funky,” she says.
It’s mid-September, and Texas, the preseason No. 1, has already dropped three games—to Minnesota, Miami, and Stanford. Skinner had eight service errors and five receiving errors in those losses, hitting just .134. Associate head coach David Hunt noticed something unusual in practice: Skinner was jerking her arms right before contacting the ball. He pointed it out, and the observation rattled her. If I don’t even know what my body is doing, how can I fix it?
During a 6-on-6 drill, coaches subbed Skinner out when she rotated into the back row, asking her to serve from the other side of the net. That’s when it hit her: head coach Jerritt Elliott was no longer letting her play six rotations. Tears streamed down her face as she served ball after ball after practice. Why didn’t anybody tell me? Why didn’t Elliott talk to me?
The next day, Hunt called her in for a meeting. Elliott had wanted to talk to her, Hunt explained, but their schedules didn’t align. He reassured her that both he and Elliott believed in her, but the team needed wins. “Why didn’t you guys talk to me before?” she asked. Hunt admitted, “You’re 100% right. We should have.”
Skinner nodded, but the frustration lingered. “I don’t feel like myself,” she told him. “I don’t know why.”
A Journey to Volleyball
MADI SKINNER FELT most fulfilled by music and dance growing up. Her dad, Brian, played in the NBA, but Madi found her rhythm in ballet studios and at the piano. She could play songs by ear and visualize ballerinas in her mind. But as she grew taller, ballet became less practical, and people began steering her toward sports.
Her older sister, Avery, fell in love with volleyball, and Madi eventually gave it a try at 14—an age considered late to start. Despite her inexperience, her athleticism was undeniable. Jen Woods, then a coach at Houston Skyline, said, “Anything Madi touches turns to gold.”
By 17, Madi was the No. 2 recruit in the country, though she constantly felt like she was playing catch-up. She followed Avery to Kentucky, where the sisters helped the Wildcats win their first national championship in 2021. But the grind of back-to-back seasons during the COVID-19 pandemic took a toll. Madi began having panic attacks and struggled with her mental health. By the end of her sophomore year, she knew she needed a fresh start.
Finding Herself at Texas
After entering the transfer portal, Skinner initially dismissed Texas as an option. But a FaceTime call with Elliott changed her mind. He didn’t talk about volleyball; instead, he asked about her well-being and what she needed to feel supported. During her visit, she felt an immediate connection with the team and decided to commit.
At Texas, Skinner rediscovered her love for volleyball—and for herself. She brought her guitar to the dorms, explored Austin, and bonded with her teammates. In her first season, she helped Texas win its second straight national championship, earning Most Outstanding Player honors at the Final Four. Volleyball Magazine named her national player of the year.
But the expectations for her second season were immense. With star Logan Eggleston gone, more of the offense ran through Skinner. Early struggles led to her being removed from six rotations, and she’s been working to regain her confidence ever since.
What’s Next for Madi Skinner?
As Texas prepares for the NCAA tournament, Skinner is finding her footing again. In her final seven regular-season games, she was reinstated as a six-rotation player, recording four double-doubles and hitting .354. Texas, a No. 3 seed, faces Texas A&M-Corpus Christi in the first round. While a third straight title seems like a long shot, Skinner’s resurgence gives the Longhorns hope. Anything Madi touches turns to gold.
Off the court, Skinner is contemplating her future. She’s grateful for the platform volleyball has given her but wonders if her purpose lies elsewhere. “I’m missing the joy,” she says. “The enjoyment that comes from playing.”
For now, she’s focused on the present. As she heads to yoga, she reflects on the teacher’s words: ‘I am’ is a complete sentence. She’s a piano player, a dancer, a three-time national champion. She’s Madi f—ing Skinner.
Originally Written by: Mechelle Voepel
