Virginia Tech’s Elizabeth Kitley has continued to prove this season that she is one of the best players in all of women’s college basketball.
The fifth-year, 6-foot-6 center is the two-time reigning ACC Player of the Year and could win her third this week, joining the likes of former ACC greats Alana Beard and Alyssa Thomas as the only players to win the conference’s highest individual honor three times. Kitley is armed with a lethal turnaround jumper, a knack for rebounding, an instinct for shot-blocking and a smooth shot. She’s the only player in the country averaging at least 22 points and 11 rebounds per game this season.
Kitley helped Virginia Tech win its first-ever ACC Tournament title last season, guided it to its first ever Final Four appearance last spring, and led the Hokies to their first-ever regular season ACC title this year.
Simply put: with Kitley at center, the Hokies have gone places and achieved things they never have before. ESPN’s College GameDay on Feb. 25 for the Hokies’ sold-out game against North Carolina, making Cassell Coliseum the first ACC venue the women’s basketball version of the show has visited.
But it’s unclear if Kitley is going to play this week in Greensboro, N.C., at the ACC Tournament, where the Hokies are the No. 1 seed.
Amidst the then-ranked No. 5 Hokies being upset by rival Virginia on Sunday in Charlottesville, Kitley went down midway through the third quarter with what looked to be an apparent non-contact injury to her left leg. She returned to the bench after being helped off the floor, but not to the game.
Afterwards, Virginia Tech coach Kenny Brooks didn’t have much of an update on her:
“I don’t know Kitley’s status. To be honest with you, that’s where my mind is… It’s not a concussion. I’m not going to be able to give you guys anything, out of respect for her… We’re praying for her. My mind is there.”
Brooks was asked further about Kitley's injury. He calls it "lower extremity" but no further info re: the severity or a timetable. pic.twitter.com/z7Bkm24pzO
— Anthony Romano (@ARomanoWDBJ) March 4, 2024
Brooks spoke to reporters again on Monday afternoon during a Zoom call with all ACC coaches, but he didn’t have many more details to offer about Kitley’s status, saying:
“We don’t know anything yet. Just waiting and praying for good results… We’re going to get everyone’s best shot regardless of who’s on the floor… If that is the case [that Kitley is out] it has to be next person up, because the games will still go on… My mind is in a lot of different places right now. It’s not in the normal mode that you would be as if you were preparing.”
Unfortunately for fans of the ACC, it could be the second consecutive season that the conference tournament’s No. 1 seed will be without its best player. Last year, it was Notre Dame guard Olivia Miles that went down in the regular season finale with a knee injury. Miles hasn’t played for Notre Dame since.