Columbia University Athletics

2022 (Senior): All-Ivy Honorable Mention … Played in a career-high 21 matches and 74 sets … Had 197 kills with a career-high 17 kills against Harvard on 10/15/22 … Recorded 56 blocks on the season … Had a career-high 25 digs on the season, with a season-high of seven vs. Cornell … Recorded a season-high 19 points, three assists and two aces against Penn on 11/12/22, recording the game-winning kill in the final game and final set of her career.

2021 (Junior): Played in 14 out of 24 matches, starting four ... Finished the season with 12 total bocks, 0.33 blocks per set, 38 total kills, 1.06 kills per set, 45 total points and 1.25 points per set ... In Columbia's win over Akron (Sept. 18) finished with nine kills, two digs and season-highs in blocks (three) and total points (11) ... Posted season-highs in kills (10) and hitting percentage (.348) at Maryland (Sept. 18) ... Had a season-high three digs along with five kills at Brown (Oct. 2) ... Wrapped up the season with six kills, two blocks and seven points at Penn (Nov. 13).

2020 (Sophomore): Season canceled (COVID-19).

2019 (First-Year): Played in 11 matches, starting in one ... Finished the season with eight kills, 11.0 points and 5.0 total blocks ... Had career match against Lehigh (Sept. 13), finishing with a career-high five kills and two blocks while hitting a career-high .273 ... Tallied a career-high three blocks at Temple (Sept. 14).

High School: Three-time letterwinner in volleyball and two-time letterwinner in basketball and track & field at Pinnacle High School in Phoenix, Arizona ... Set senior season game highs in kills (12); points (15.5); digs (nine) and blocks (11) ... Started as the varsity middle blocker beginning sophomore season (while at Kadena High School in Okinawa, Japan) ... Helped Pinnacle complete best finish since 2007 during senior season ... Played on two club teams, Virginia Elite 17’s (2017-18) and Livewire 18 Adidas (2018-19) ... While at Kadena, basketball team finished second in the 2017 Far East Tournament and was named to the All-Tournament team ... Selected to the 2016 Far East Team and named to the 2016 All-Pacific team ... Earned First-Team 6A All-Region and All-District team honors following senior season at Pinnacle ... National Honor Society Member (10th through 12th grade) ... Member of German National Honor Society (11th grade) ... Earned AP Scholar award (w/ honors).
 
Personal: Born, Saj Elle McBurrows, on Oct. 2, 2000 in Albuquerque, New Mexico ... Daughter of Marvin and Kelly McBurrows ... Father, Marvin, played basketball at New Mexico from 1987-91 and played professionally in France ... Has lived in four different countries, United States; Germany; France and Japan because father is a lawyer for the U.S. Army ... Enjoyed living in Okinawa, Japan the best, but has traveled to 33 different countries ... Through Project Pearls, went on a 10-day volunteer outreach trip to Manilla, Philippines ... Was heavily recruited by New Mexico State; Marist; UC Davis; Eastern Michigan; Rice; Radford; UNC Greensboro; Southern Miss; Albany; The Citadel; NYU; Chicago; Bucknell; San Diego; UC Riverside; Wesleyan; Memphis; Clarion and Buffalo ... Settled on Columbia because “the first time I visited New York City I fell in love with its culture, diversity and all it has to offer” ... Can speak both French and German ... Enrolled in Columbia College ... Major is sustainable development with a concentration in public health.