GAMBIER, Ohio -- On Thursday, Jill McCartney, Kenyon College director of athletics, fitness and recreation announced that Madison Schweitzer was tabbed as the next head coach of the Kenyon College volleyball program.

After a national search, Schweitzer becomes Kenyon's 18th coach as the program heads into its 52nd season next fall. She will take over for Sharon Adams, who served as the interim head coach for the Owls this past season.

"It is a great honor to be selected as the next head coach at Kenyon College," said Schweitzer. "I am thrilled to have this opportunity to build a competitive culture driven by a passion that fosters growth in student-athletes. I think that growth is exactly what will take this program to the next level."

Schweitzer added, "Even though the program has been rebuilding the past few years with coaching and personnel changes, the women in the program have bonded together for the love of each other and the sport. That commitment is something truly special, and it shows their dedication."

Before joining the Owls, Schweitzer served as an assistant coach for the men's and women's volleyball teams at Trine University, an NCAA Division III institution in Angola, Indiana. In her 2023 season with the Thunder, the women's team posted an 11-15 record and earned a spot in the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association Tournament, while the men's squad went 14-13 overall and also secured a postseason appearance.

In addition to Kenyon and Trine, Schweitzer's familiarity with Division III athletics extends through her other coaching stops and into her playing days. Before Trine, Schweitzer was a graduate assistant coach for North Central College's women's volleyball team for the 2022 campaign. While in Naperville, Illinois, she helped the Cardinals to a record of 14-11, fourth-best in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW), and the team made its first appearance in the CCIW Tournament since 2012.

Schweitzer got her start in coaching at her alma mater, Lakeland University, where she served as an assistant and junior varsity coach from 2018-2021. In 2019, the Muskies posted a 10-2 record in the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference (NACC) and claimed a share of the regular-season championship. 

On the court as a student-athlete at Lakeland, Schweitzer's play earned her a spot on the 2016 NACC All-Freshman Team. That season, she ranked second in the conference in total assists and assists per set and was seventh in service aces.

Schweitzer is slated to take the reins in the new year and start her Kenyon tenure in early January. 

"We are very glad to welcome Madison as our head volleyball coach," McCartney said. "Her breadth of experience provides a solid foundation for her new head coaching role, and her passion and enthusiasm will serve as useful tools in building relationships with student-athletes, colleagues, and the Kenyon community."