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Olivia Burrage already has learned a valuable life lesson, one that some never quite grasp. Gratitude. The Jefferson 2022 grad was a fantastic talent for the Lady Dragons. But in going from high school to NCAA D-I in the Conference USA, she had to come to grips with the fact that her identity was not in a game, and that it was a blessing just to be on the court at Kennesaw State University.
The first obstacle was making the gigantic leap from high school to college in general.
Framed Print (11×14) – Olivia Burrage
Framed Print (11×14) – Olivia Burrage
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“The jump from high school to D1 volleyball is a lot more difficult than people like to believe,” says Olivia. “You could easily go from being the best one on your high school team to getting to college and everyone is just as good as you or better (they were probably all the best at their high school too) so making the adjustment to playing with a whole team of high level athletes is a lot. So is the speed of the game going from high school to college speed – volleyball is something you have to completely retrain your brain to play in.”
But first, getting on the court was a natural step. That wasn’t automatic for Olivia, who is now a 3-year starter but didn’t play her freshman year for the Owls.
“I learned that there is more to me than just being a volleyball player,” exclaims Olivia on what she learned about herself in the waiting period. “Working hard for your spot and having playing time is a great accomplishment and is something any player looks forward to, but it is not everything .I learned to have balance in my life, which helped me a lot overall.”
After sitting out in the fall of 2022 with a redshirt, she was ready for her chance to shine in 2023. She played in 29 matches, totaling 172 kills at the middle blocker position, as well as a career-high 110 total blocks. She continued to improve in 2024 with 246 kills and 104 blocks in 31 matches. So far in her redshirt junior 2025 campaign, Burrage has 149 kills and 69 blocks in 18 matches. Her career totals to date are 567 kills, 283 total blocks, 40 digs, and 78 match appearances.
Burrage’s award list includes being a conference All-Freshman selection in ’23, CUSA Defensive Player of the Week, CUSA Spirit of Service honoree in ’24, among others. She’s closing in on the all-time school total blocks record of 367, and has been the team leader in each of the past two seasons. Needless to say, this season in particular is very rewarding for the former standout Lady Dragon.
“Working on reading the court and knowing who you are playing against is the biggest part for me when using my offense in a game,” adds Olivia. “It can be very rewarding when all of the film we watch and adjustments we make in a game pays off in the long run.”
Olivia’s team is 12-6 overall and 6-2 in conference play, and she feels this team has something special in store.
“My goals for my team is to stay a high level consistent team. We have a great team chemistry on and off the court so if our volleyball skills can stay intense and consistent, we could have a great rest of our season. I would also love us to win the conference championship – this is one of the closest teams we have had in years and would love to see us go all the way with all of the hard work and dedication we have.”
Burrage helped guide Jefferson to an 87-27 record the three seasons she was on the varsity squad. She was named a Prep Volleyball HS All-American, won three region titles, and was a huge part of three deep playoff runs (Sweet 16, Elite 8, and Final 4). She was 1st Team All-Region as a junior and senior, and was Region POY in both seasons, and was All-State in 2021. She was a 2nd Team All-Region pick as sophomore. Burrage was a one-time BLITZ Player of the Week, and a multi-POY nominee.
