“It’s definitely a jump,” Madisen Skinner confessed in an interview when asked about how she was dealing with the transition from being a celebrity collegiate star to going pro with LOVB Austin. It was a jump, alright. As Austin decimated Omaha to win the inaugural League One Volleyball trophy, the ex-Texas star showed what she really meant by the statement.

A 3x NCAA champ, Skinner is no stranger to putting her best foot forward in a high-stakes match. But tonight was special. After being picked by LOVB Austin in December, Madisen struggled to come to terms with returning to the Texas metropolis without the Longhorns’ flag on her back. But four months later, and here we are now: the OH added another feather to her illustrious cap in Louisville, Kentucky, a place that she also knows too well. And she made sure that her first pro feat also gave the LOVB something to celebrate about!

Madisen Skinner catches up to basketball stars, only to leave them in the dust

The official ESPNW account hit Instagram on April 13 to highlight Madisen Skinner’s explosive moment from the LOVB Championship match. With 10 kills and 2 blocks, the Kentucky and Texas alum led the charge against Omaha, and how? “Former Texas volleyball player Madisen Skinner has a 40-inch vertical jump,” the social media update read, out how the MVP of the match was soaring higher than any of the other athletes on the court tonight at the KFC Yum! Center.

With her towering (no pun intended) jump, Madisen Skinner also put LOVB on the list where athletes and their respective sports are celebrated for the highest vertical jumps. With a closer inspection, one can easily see that Skinner’s 40-inch leap has overtaken Stephen Curry (35.5) and Dwyane Wade (35), both of whom are notable basketball stars in their own rights.

While Madisen’s jump was much lower than Michael Jordan’s mythical 48-inch hop, let’s not get too carried away with the comparisons, shall we? Jordan is often considered the GOAT of the sport and justifiably in a league of his own. However, considering this was Skinner’s first season as a pro athlete, one can only speculate what uncharted waters await her traverse and domination in the coming years. But are we really that surprised to see the 23-year-old taking the fight to basketball sensations?

Madisen Skinner’s father is Brian Skinner, who had a rather elaborate NBA career himself. From that info, it shouldn’t be hard to imagine a young Madi with glistening eyes watching his dad leap to put the ball through the hoop. All that surely paid off because right now, Skinner is at the top of the world as far as volleyball is concerned. However, looking back at LOVB Austin’s season, it wasn’t exactly foretold in the stars.

A wobbly start, finishing off with gusto

In its first match in the league, LOVB Austin was handed a stunning reverse-sweep defeat by LOVB Houston. The two Lone Star clubs met twice more before Madisen Skinner & Co. finally found their groove and bested their in-state rivals. However, being the top-tier athlete that she is, Madi knew that such fumbles are just part and parcel of the game. “Proud of this team,” she wrote on her IG story after the first defeat in January and made it clear that the uphill climb would need everything from the team to reach the top.

And tonight, LOVB Austin stands tall in a spot where none has set foot before. Like all of her teammates, Skinner could hardly be any happier. “It doesn’t matter how you start; it’s how you finish,” grinned a beaming Skinner after the match. Her elation isn’t baseless, either: in the three playoff games for Austin, Madisen hauled 63 kills, six blocks, and four service aces.

It’s safe to say that the girl who was struggling to maintain her love for the sport during her time in Kentucky has salvaged herself in style in the very same state. Now, as the party begins, we imagine the former Longhorns and Wildcats star will have a reason or two more than her colleagues to let her hair down. And she deserves every second of it!

Share your congratulations for Madisen Skinner in a comment!