CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Head coach Chris Tamas and the Illinois volleyball program announced the addition of sophomore Kayla Burbage to the 2022 roster on Tuesday (May 10). A 6-4 opposite/outside hitter from Clayton, N.C., Burbage transferred to Illinois following a year at the University of Missouri.
Burbage joins incoming freshmen Cari Bohm (Ann Arbor, Michigan), Sophie Stephenson (Seattle, Washington) and Bianca May (Orland Park, Ill.) as the newest additions to the 2022 Illini volleyball roster.
Kayla Burbage // Clayton, N.C. // Missouri // Clayton High School // NC Volleyball Academy // Opposite/Outside Hitter // 6-4
Missouri Notes: Started 24 of the 28 matches she saw action in and played in 99 sets as a freshman … Led the Tigers with 87 total blocks, including 15 solo blocks and 72 block assists … Ranked third on the team with 211 kills on a .271 hitting percentage … Registered eight double-digit kill outings, including a career-high 19 kills on a .375 hitting percentage against Tennessee (11/24/21) … Posted five matches with five or more blocks, including a career-high nine stuffs against South Carolina (10/1/21).
High School/Club Notes: No. 145 overall recruit in PrepVolleyball's Class of 2021 rankings … 2020 PrepVolleyball Senior Aces recipient … 2020 JVA All-National Team … 2019 AVCA Phenom Watch List … 2019 PrepVolleyball Top 50 Juniors … 2019 North Carolina Offensive Player of the Year … 2019 and 2018 all-conference accolades … In 2019 junior campaign, tallied 275 kills on .379 hitting and 48 total blocks (15 solo blocks) … Shined academically, earning 2019 and 2018 academic all-conference honors … Competed for NC Volleyball Academy 17 Diamond club.
Why Illinois?
"One of the big reasons I chose Illinois was because of the people. You honestly cannot ask for a better coaching staff and group of women to play with. The program is full of a lot of fire and grit. They get after it in the gym and the classroom. You can tell how much they push each other to be great. Illinois has created a standard of excellence that I want to be a part of and additionally, who doesn't want to play Big Ten volleyball!"
Coach Tamas on Burbage
"Kayla has already proven herself has a player at two different positions this level. We will be adding her as an opposite for us over the next several years. We have had a strong history of developing six-rotation players and will work to do the same with Kayla. Beyond her physical skill sets, the thing that stood out to me was that she wanted the opportunity to play and compete in the toughest conference in the country and further her chances to play with USA and professionally post-graduation. We constantly need players with this mentality and she definitely has that. We look forward to having her in our gym and on our team for many years to come."
For more Fighting Illini volleyball news, stay tuned to FightingIllini.com and follow @IlliniVBall on social media: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook.
