It’s rare to have one world-class volleyball talent in the family, but the Skinners are certainly blessed because they have not one but two incredible talents. Yet, when it comes to getting down to business on the court, at least the elder Skinner sister makes no exceptions. “When we’re on the court, I don’t feel any different than any other teammate,” said Madisen Skinner’s sister, Avery.

“Obviously, you have that little sister telekinesis; we probably know what each other’s thinking,” added the 26-year-old Olympian about the special bond between sisters. Yet, what about her 23-year-old former University of Texas star? Well, she found some time after a gritty 5-set battle against France to reveal what she feels, as Avery Skinner’s Week 2 exclusion deprived fans of catching the duo in action.

Team USA fans would certainly love to see the Skinner sisters complement one another on the volleyball court. Unfortunately, the coach at Team USA’s helm may be saving the Olympic gold medalist for the knockout rounds. “It’s so awesome,” Madisen Skinner said about just having her big sister around camp, even though they haven’t teamed up in the VNL yet.

“I mean, I’ve passed her in the gym a couple of times, and we’ve been at home. It’s so nice to have a familiar face and someone, obviously, that I love so much,” said the 23-year-old. Yet, just like her big sister, Skinner isn’t letting emotions interfere with the game. While she is excited to play with the Olympic gold medalist, the former VolleyballMag.com Player of the Year isn’t going out of her way to request the coaches.

“I’m hoping to see her on the roster in the next few weeks and maybe at Worlds, but it’s really exciting,” said Madison Skinner. The former Texas volleyball icon’s words line up with what Avery Skinner said about the volleyball sisters. “Whenever it’s in competition, we’re both locked in,” the 2020 NCAA champion said about their mindset in her exclusive with Olympics.com. Talking about locking in, the former University of Texas star has been at the top of her game.

Madisen Skinner is flexing at the VNL

While Avery Skinner continues to stay in reserve, the coaches are testing out young talents like Lexi Rodriguez. The former Nebraska libero made her VNL debut with a spectacular performance, scoring 17 digs in her first match, and is leading Team USA in digs. However, Skinner proved that she’s been here before, from the very first game against Serbia.

The Outside Hitter dropped a 32-point scorcher in her 2025 debut match, holding off the reverse sweep attempt by the home team after the USA went up 2-0. And that was just the beginning for Skinner. The former 2023 NCAA volleyball champion put in an equally epic performance against a scrappy match against France. She was key in helping America make the comeback.

Just like the opening match against Serbia, Team USA went up 2-0, scoring 25-22, 26-24 in the opening two sets. Then came the push from France as the European team won the following two sets 25–20, 25–21 and nearly toppled the red, white, and blue before Skinner helped power the 5th set comeback. The volleyball star ended the match with 21 points as Team USA closed the curtains in set 5.

The win against France gave the USA women their third win in four games. Young talents like Madisen Skinner, Lexi Rodriguez, Sarah Franklin, and others have been at the center of this success. However, the more experienced players of the team may have played a bigger role than you think. “Our more experienced athletes have done a great job setting the tone and sharing their experience, which has been huge for our younger athletes,” said National Team Head Coach Erik Sullivan. So it’s safe to assume that we’ll see the Skinners team up sooner rather than later.