Staff Directory
- Title:
- Assistant Volleyball Coach / Recruiting Coordinator
- Email:
- Alma Mater:
- West Liberty, 2021
- Experience:
- Second Season
Maddie Clayton joined Riley Jarrett's volleyball staff as an assistant coach at Youngstown State University in May 2024. She was promoted to the role of recruiting coordinator in February 2026.
Clayton, who played and coached alongside Jarrett at West Liberty, spent the 2023 season as an assistant coach at Muskingum before reuniting with Jarrett in Youngstown. In the staff’s second year at YSU, the Penguins achieved their best season in more than a decade.
In 2025, YSU won a school-record 11 Horizon League matches, improved its win total by eight compared with 2024, and advanced to the semifinals of the Horizon League Volleyball Championship. YSU had the second-largest win improvement in the Horizon League, and only 23 teams in the country improved their win total by more heading into the NCAA Tournament. The Penguins had their highest seed ever at the conference tournament, significantly overachieving according to the Horizon League preseason poll, which pegged YSU to finish 10th.
The Penguins had their best offense since 25-point rally scoring was instituted in 2008. YSU set a new program record in the current era with 1,555 kills, and they also set records with 13.07 kills per set overall and 13.58 kills per set in Horizon League play. YSU posted a .247 attack percentage, which was the second-best mark in program history regardless of format, and shattered the previous program record in Horizon League play by hitting .255.
Individually, outside hitter Abbie Householder was named the Horizon League Player of the Year and the Offensive Player of the Year, becoming the third Penguin to earn a conference player-of-the-year honor. Right-side hitter Gabriela Machin joined Householder on the All-Horizon League first team, and Kameron Blizniak and Layne Graffice were named to the Horizon League All-Newcomer Team.
In YSU’s first season of Jarrett’s coaching era, the Penguins showed potential for the future with several notable performances at both the team and individual levels. YSU won four of its final six non-conference matches in 2024, which included its first sweep of Kent State in 43 years, and began November by winning six straight sets against Oakland at Zidian Family Arena at Beeghly Center to celebrate Senior Weekend.
Youngstown State registered 17.28 digs per set during the season, which ranked second in the Horizon League and 16th in the country in 2024.
Individually, Householder took a big leap forward in her development and was named to the All-Horizon League Second Team. Householder ranked second in the conference in both kills and points per set in 2024, and she was the only player in the conference to rank among the top 12 in both kills and digs per set.
While alongside Jarrett at West Liberty, Clayton provided student-athletes with one-on-one instruction during practices, matches, and weight-lifting sessions. She also managed the team's social media accounts, handled event planning for the program, and assisted in recruiting efforts.
Clayton also brings coaching experience from Club Gold South program out of St. Clairsville, Ohio. Clayton served as the head coach for the club's 16 Gold Regional Volleyball Team, developing all practice plans for the club and instructing athletes on skill development.
