By: Mark Wasik
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KENNESAW, Ga. – Kennesaw State senior
Manu Johnsen was named to the Conference USA Volleyball First Team All-Conference, while junior
Olivia Burrage was a second-team selection, the league office announced on Wednesday. This is the second straight CUSA First-Team honor for Johnsen, while it marks her fourth straight all-conference recognition after being named Second-Team All-Atlantic Sun as a freshman in 2022 and a first-team honoree in 2023. Burrage meanwhile picks up her first career season accolade. The duo helped the Owls to a top-100 finish season, along with earning a third seed in this week's CUSA tournament after going 12-4 in conference play, 18-8 overall.
Johnsen, an outside hitter from Copenhagen, Denmark, has made her mark on the Kennesaw State record book as earlier this month she broke the school record for career kills, and currently stands with 1,565 in her four years wearing the Black and Gold. She's also expected to set the school's career points standard in her next match, as she comes in with 1,789 currently, while her 141 career service aces are also the second-highest ever by an Owl, and the most by a four-year player.
She currently leads CUSA in points per set at 4.80, which also ranks her 36
th in the nation, while her kills per set average of 4.13 is second-best in CUSA and 46
th overall nationally. Johnsen also is second in CUSA and 33
rd in the nation with 0.45 aces per set, and set a new KSU single game record earlier this season with nine aces in a win at Middle Tennessee.
Burrage, a junior middle blocker from Jefferson, Ga., picks up her first honor after nearly missing the team a season ago. She has been outstanding at the net, hitting at a .351 percentage which is third best in CUSA and 90
th in the nation. Burrage has also made the biggest impact on the defensive side for the Owls, ranking 92
nd in the nation (fourth in CUSA) with 1.18 blocks per set. Twice this year she reached double-digits in blocks in a match, and has picked up CUSA Defensive Player of the Year twice as well. Her 2.39 kills per set also ranked her second on the squad.
NEXT TIME OUT: KSU will open play in the 2025 CUSA Tournament on Friday, facing off against sixth-seed Jacksonville State in the quarterfinal round at 7 p.m., in a game streamed live on ESPN+. This year's tournament is being hosted by FIU in Miami.
The Owls Fund
The Owls Fund is the primary fundraising arm of Kennesaw State Athletics with the goal of supporting our student-athletes, coaches and each of our 18 NCAA Division I programs. Through initiatives such as Legacy Lockers, the Dot Martin Scholarship Golf Classic, sport-specific giving opportunities, general donations and season tickets, The Owls Fund connects fans with KSU's programs and student-athletes. Members receive exclusive benefits such as hospitality seating areas and events at Kennesaw State home games, and more. Join The Owls Fund here and discover more opportunities on how you can support Kennesaw State Athletics.
