Avery Skinner built a legacy in the blue and white uniform as a member of the 2020 National Championship Kentucky volleyball team, and in 2021, Skinner added to that legacy even further as she moved into the green and gold of Baylor University for her graduation season.
Now, two years after graduating from college, Skinner is donning the red, white and blue uniform for the U.S. Women’s National Team.
The outside hitter has been on the roster for the second consecutive week, along with her sister, Madisen.The two played four matches together in Rio de Janeiro last week, with the national team going two-for-two over the weekend, losing to China and Brazil but beating Thailand and the Dominican Republic.
While Madisen won’t be in Arlington, Texas, this weekend, Avery is with the team for the second straight week. Avery, a Katy, Texas, native, will be joining the team along with two other Texans (middle blocker Chiaka Ogbogu and Asjia O’Neill) will run from Wednesday, May 28th to June 2nd.
During her time as a Wildcat, Skinner recorded a .268 hitting percentage with 821 kills. Skinner averaged 3.11 kills per set in 86 total matches. She was also a 2020 All-American and helped Kentucky win its fourth straight SEC Championship. Skinner recorded double-digit kills 46 times, including two double-doubles. She recorded 20 or more kills in four matches, tying her for third most in Kentucky history. Her career-high 22 kills came in a win over Tennessee in October 2020.
Skinner’s father, Brian, was the 22nd overall pick in the 1998 NBA Draft. Over 14 years, he played for 11 teams and scored 2,876 points in 608 games. At 6’9″, he also recorded 2,841 rebounds and 532 blocks. Skinner inherited not only his height (6’1″) from his father, but also his hardcore athleticism.
Skinner may soon be appearing on television screens as a member of the U.S. volleyball team at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris. If the Texas native continues to perform as well as she has, there’s a good chance she could make her Olympic team debut within the next few months.
