Youngstown, Ohio — After leading Youngstown State to its best season in more than a decade in 2025, YSU head volleyball coach Riley Jarrett has earned a three-year contract through June of 2029. YSU Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics Ron Strollo announced the multi-year extension on Wednesday.
Jarrett guided the Penguins to a school-record 11 Horizon League victories and a berth in the semifinals of the Horizon League Volleyball Championship in 2025, her second season at the program's helm. YSU posted a 17-14 overall record, which was an eight-win improvement from her first season and the most victories by the program since 2014. Youngstown State also won three more Horizon League matches than it had in any previous season since joining the conference in 2001.
In February, assistant coaches Grace Wilson and Maddie Clayton, who have been alongside Jarrett for her first two seasons, received promotions and new titles. Wilson now serves as Assistant Coach and Director of Operations, and Clayton received the title of Recruiting Coordinator and Assistant Coach.
Statistically, the Penguins set a program record in the 25-point rally scoring era with 1,555 kills in 2025. YSU also set records for the current era with 13.07 kills per set overall and 13.58 kills per set in Horizon League play. YSU had an efficient offense with a .247 attack percentage, the second-best mark in program history.
Abbie Householder headlined a list of four individuals who earned postseason recognition from the Horizon League, being named the Horizon League Player of the Year and Offensive Player of the Year. The outside hitter went on to be named an Honorable Mention All-American by the AVCA. YSU also had two members named to the Horizon League All-Freshman Team in Kameron Blizniak and Layne Graffice, two standouts from Jarrett's first full recruiting class.
Jarrett is the 11th head coach in program history after being hired in April 2024. A native of Lorain, Ohio, and a former winner of the AVCA's Thirty-Under-30 Award, she came to Youngstown after spending the previous four seasons leading West Liberty University to its highest prominence at the Division II level as its head coach from 2020-23. She led the Hilltoppers to three straight 20-win seasons and two NCAA Tournament appearances.
The Penguins will begin their third season in the Jarrett era on Aug. 28 against Mercyhurst.
