One last swing: Why All-SEC middle blocker chose to finish college career at BYU

PROVO — Kelli Jo "KJ" Burgess was ready to set her volleyball career to the side.

After excelling at every level of the sport, the former 6A player of the year at Lone Peak High School and former Pac-12 all-freshman selection at the University of Utah finished her bachelor's degree in criminal justice at Oklahoma, where she was an All-SEC second-team honoree after setting a Sooners record for career hitting percentage as a senior.

The decision seemed easy, especially with the departing senior class at OU, two coaches that moved on to other opportunities, and her own graduation. After redshirting in 2023, Burgess had a fifth year of eligibility available — but didn't know that she wanted to use it, and was even less sure about pursuing a pro career.

One thing she knew she wanted to do was one of Oklahoma's study abroad programs. And it was there, while wondering the streets filled with pizza smells, ancient Roman architecture and Vespas last spring that Burgess had a new idea that brought her to finishing her college career at BYU.

"I was always kind of content, in just being done," said Burgess, the daughter of former Utah soccer player Lesa (neé Zollinger) and Chris Burgess, who played basketball at Duke and Utah and is a current assistant coach with the BYU men's team.

"I had these conversations with my dad, and he was always the person who just wanted me not to regret not taking a fifth year because he had some many athletes who did," she added. "I loved my time at OU, but I didn't want to go back to OU. There was a part of me that wasn't sure what I wanted to do ... and after a few conversations, I thought, let's do this."

Burgess had a relationship with current BYU head coach Rob Neilson and trusted assistant Chloe Hirst when the duo tried to recruit her to Utah State. After a little digging — pretty easy, with a father who has an office on the other side of campus from the volleyball program, it turns out — she learned BYU had a spot available for the 6-foot-2 middle blocker from Lehi.

So for the second time in her career, and the first since her freshman season with the Utes, the Burgess father-daughter duo reunited in college.

"It's kind of a full-circle moment," she said. "I thought it would be really special, and I'm really excited to play for these coaches, too."

Burgess joins a talented middle rotation that includes senior Brielle Kemavor, junior Abby Hoybjerg, Pitt transfer Rachel Jepsen, and middle blocker/opposite hybrid Kate Prior.

"We want to be able to set anybody almost any time," Neilson said after Burgess posted three kills and a block Saturday in a 25-11, 25-17, 25-20 exhibition sweep of Utah Tech. "If we can have a threat up front, that will open up space for our pins. It does a lot of really good things for us offensively."

Burgess also fits with the culture that Neilson is trying to build in his first season leading the women's program at his alma mater — and not just because of her parental lineage.

"She's the coolest kids who just loves working hard," he said. "She's getting back into it, and we're so excited to have her."

Chris Burgess wasn't just a supportive #VolleyballDad, or a former college athlete who could lend advice. He also offered his oldest daughter valuable insight into modern college sports, the transfer portal, and BYU after spending the past three years on campus in addition to three years on former coach Mark Pope's staff from 2019-22.

"I feel like I probably wouldn't be here or where I'm at today without him, or both of my parents," the younger Burgess said. "But especially my dad; he's with college athletes every single day, and he knows what we're all going through. I know men's basketball is a little different from women's volleyball, but having him there after he went through transferring himself was really helpful.

"But my parents were also really good about letting me make my own decision," she added, "no matter what. They offered their own pieces of advice and their own takeaways. But it was so helpful, and I literally don't what would I do without their help."

Burgess joins a BYU women's volleyball program in transition in Neilson's first year after taking over for the wildly successful Heather Olmstead, whose teams never won fewer than 19 matches in a full regular season (excluding the pandemic-shortened 2020-21 spring campaign) in her 10 years as head coach.

The Cougars will look to replace the production of All-American outside hitter Suli Davis, the Euless, Texas, native who transferred to SMU, and a few other key role players. But they return two-year starting setter Alex Bower, All-Big 12 outside hitter Claire Little Chambers, and former Corner Canyon standout Elli Mortensen on the pins.

The group also added former Mountain West player of the year Kaylie Kofe from Utah State; and brought back Prior, the Henderson, Nevada, native who stepped away from volleyball last year before returning for her senior season.

"That's what we wanted, was more depth," Neilson told BYUtv of the newcomers. "We wanted players that could compete and help our gym get better. I think we got that with every single one of these athletes."

That feeling was mutual across the team.

"Everyone's been so nice," Burgess said of her team. "But everyone here is so competitive. The culture and environment is so positive, and the energy is always high. I'm a pretty calm and collected person, and I feel like I've been able to fit in pretty easy."

BYU opens the 2026 regular season Friday, Aug. 28 against Florida State, part of a nonconference schedule also includes home dates with Pitt, UCLA, Utah Valley and Utah State.

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