"Small fish in big pond"- Madisen Skinner makes her feelings known on transition to pro level ahead of LOVB Finals

LOVB Austin's Madisen Skinner has shared her thoughts on the transition to professional volleyball after wrapping up her collegiate career. The outside hitter represented the University of Kentucky and the University of Texas during her collegiate volleyball career. She then joined Austin ahead of the inaugural 2025 LOVB Season.

Skinner is in the top four for kills this LOVB season, only behind Roni Jones-Perry, Annie Drews, and Jordan Thompson. She achieved massively at the collegiate level and was named the NCAA Final Four's Most Outstanding Player.

Ahead of the LOVB finals, where she will face off against Salt Lake, Skinner, in an interview with Sports Illustrated, discussed the transition to pro volleyball after completing her NCAA career.

"The transition has been good overall. It’s definitely a jump. It’s just so different being around girls who have been playing the game for a really long time. You’re the small fish in the big pond again. So I think the biggest difference has been trying to find my role in that space and also find my voice while being a sponge and picking up as much information from the older girls as possible."

Skinner added by saying that her position change was the biggest:

"I would also say switching and transitioning to the right side has been a big adjustment for me, personally. That was a decision that was made over a long period as I tried to figure out where I wanted to take this sport and be the most successful. So the position change along with the switch to pro and going straight into competition has been an adjustment, but I’ve loved it. And I’ve learned so much." - Madisen Skinner to Sports Illustrated

Skinner also stated that the only thing that stayed the same at the pro level was that she was playing with her old teammates.

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A look back at Madisen Skinner's collegiate career

Madisen Skinner at the 2022 Division I Women's Volleyball Championship (Image via Getty)

23-year-old Madisen Skinner was regarded as one of the best college volleyball players in the nation. In 2023, for the Texas Longhorns, she was an AVCA First Team All-American, Big 12 Conference Player of the Year, and was named VolleyballMag.com's National Player of the Year.

Skinner also won two national championships with the Longhorns in 2022 and 2023. Before her transfer to Texas, she represented the Kentucky Wildcats. She managed to lead them to a national championship in 2020 and was named All-SEC and Honorable Mention All-American.

Madisen Skinner will be looking to add to her impressive achievements by winning at the LOVB finals.