Madison Lilley

Madison Lilley is an American former setter whose playing career is closely tied to the rise of Kentucky women’s volleyball and who has since moved into coaching at the same program. As Kentucky’s floor leader, Lilley directed a fast, balanced offense and became one of the most accomplished setters in college volleyball. She was named the AVCA National Player of the Year for the 2020–21 season and led the Wildcats to the program’s first NCAA championship, a title run built around both her distribution and the ability to keep multiple attackers available in pressure situations.

Her value as a setter came from more than assist totals. Lilley played with tempo, used the middle when first contact allowed it and made quick location adjustments when the offense moved out of system. Those habits made her a natural candidate for work with setters after her playing career. She also represented the United States in age-group and senior-development competition, including a gold medal at the 2019 Pan American Cup.

After college, Lilley played professionally in Europe, including a stint in France with Béziers. She then returned to Kentucky in 2023 as a full-time assistant coach, working across recruiting, scouting, day-to-day operations and setter development. That move kept her closely connected to the program where she had established her playing reputation while giving her a direct route into coaching. Her VolleyBond profile therefore sits at the intersection of an elite setting career and early coaching experience, with the same position-specific understanding of tempo, attacker management and match preparation carrying from the court into the staff role.

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