Youngstown State hires Amherst grad Riley Jarrett to become next volleyball coach

Riley (Schenk) Jarrett has come a long way from her time at Amherst.

After Jarrett spent four years as West Liberty’s head coach, she has been hired by Division I Youngstown State. The announcement was made April 9.

“I am thrilled and honored to be the next head coach at Youngstown State University,” Jarrett said in Youngstown State’s news release. “The amount of investment and support that is poured into YSU Athletics is something that I am proud to be a part of.  I want to thank the entire administration at YSU for their trust in me and allowing me this amazing opportunity. I feel confident and ready for this opportunity to lead our YSU volleyball program to new heights. We will work hard day in and day out to instill a positive and winning culture. I can’t wait to see what the future holds and am very excited to get to work with the strong young women in our program!”

Jarrett is the program’s 11th coach. She replaces Aline Scott, who served six years.

Youngstown State executive director of intercollegiate athletics Ron Strollo said Jarrett’s passion and energy would drive the program in the right direction.

“In Riley (Jarrett), we found someone who brings the energy and love for the game that our student-athletes want and need to move this program in the competitive direction that we all desire,” Strollo said. “She has successful head coaching experience at West Liberty, and she also has ties to the region even before her coaching career, being born and raised near Cleveland and playing at Mount Union. We’re excited about our future with Riley leading our program.”

After Jarrett graduated from Amherst in 2013, she played four years at Mount Union as a setter. She was an All-OAC selection her junior and senior years, as well as an AVCA Great Lakes All-Region honorable mention.

As a senior, she averaged 9.26 assists per set and 2.16 digs over 99 sets and 30 games. Jarrett earned her degree with double minor in business administration and psychology, along with a bachelor of arts in sports business at Mount Union.

Jarrett started her West Liberty coaching career in 2020. It went 7-4 in her first year and followed with back-to-back 21-13 seasons.

In her final year, the Hilltoppers went 23-10 and appeared in the Division II NCAA tournament for the second year in a row.

“It is a bittersweet feeling for me leaving our West Liberty volleyball program as I head to the next level,” Jarrett stated in West Liberty’s news release. “We have worked tirelessly to build the WLU volleyball program up and I am proud of the way I have left it. I want to thank my current and past players for all their hard work and commitment to our overall vision of WLUVB. Without them, this program would not be where it is today.”