On Tuesday, Virginia Tech center Elizabeth Kitley was named the ACC Women’s Basketball Player of the Year for 2021-22.
The 6-6 junior is the first player in the Tech history to win the award, and she did it in style. Kitley averaged 17.6 points, 10.1 rebounds and 2.6 blocks per game while recording a league-high 14 double-doubles. She earned four ACC Player of the Week honors, the most in the conference, and shot 53.8% from the floor, the best clip in the ACC.
In addition to her Player of the Year honors, Kitley also earned First Team All-ACC and All-Defensive Team accolades. She had 12 20-point games and six games with at least five blocks. In addition to her ACC honors, Kitley is a Lisa Leslie Award finalist and is on the Wooden Award Watch List.
Kitley (948 points) finished ahead of NC State center Elissa Cunane (861) and Louisville forward Emily Engstler (720) in voting for ACC Player of the Year.
However, she wasn’t the only Hokie to earn All-ACC honors.
Aisha Sheppard, the all-time leading scorer in program history, made Second Team All-ACC. She averaged 13.1 points per game and drilled a league-high 85 3-pointers over the course of the year.
On Feb. 13 against North Carolina, Sheppard surpassed Louisville’s Asia Durr for the most treys in ACC women’s basketball history at 375. She is now up to 391 3-pointers in her career.
Australian point guard Georgia Amoore also joined Kitley and Sheppard, earning ACC Honorable Mention honors.
Amoore averaged 10.6 points and 4.3 assists per game, which ranked third in the conference. She also led the ACC in 3-point percentage (40.3%) and was the only player in the league to shoot better than 40% behind the arc in ACC play.
Virginia Tech head coach Kenny Brooks also finished second in ACC Coach of the Year voting behind NC State’s Wes Moore.
In his sixth season at the helm of the Hokies (21-8, 13-5 ACC), Brooks led Virginia Tech to the best ACC record in program history since the school joined the league in 2004. Tech is currently ranked No. 21 in the AP Poll and finished in a tie for third in the conference standings, also a program record.
The Hokies, who are the No. 5 seed in the ACC Tournament in Greensboro, N.C., will play either Syracuse or Clemson at 11 a.m. on Thursday morning on RSN.
Here’s a list of all 2021-22 ACC honors.
2021-22 Blue Ribbon Panel Awards
ACC Player of the Year Voting
Elizabeth Kitley, Virginia Tech, Jr., C – 948 points
Elissa Cunane, NC State, Sr., C – 861 points
Emily Engstler, Louisville, Sr., F – 720 points
ACC Rookie of the Year Voting
Sonia Citron, Notre Dame, Fr., G – 505 points
Shayeann Day-Wilson, Duke, Fr., G – 476 points
Maria Gakdeng, Boston College, Fr., C – 425 points
ACC Coach of the Year Voting
Wes Moore, NC State – 150 points
Kenny Brooks, Virginia Tech – 73 points
Niele Ivey, Notre Dame – 70 points
Blue Ribbon Panel (69 Voters)
All-ACC First Team
Cameron Swartz, Boston College, Sr., G
Delicia Washington, Clemson, Gr., G
Lorela Cubaj, Georgia Tech, 5th Yr., F
Emily Engstler, Louisville, Sr., F
Hailey Van Lith, Louisville, So., G
Deja Kelly, North Carolina, So., G
Elissa Cunane, NC State, Sr., C
Olivia Miles, Notre Dame, Fr., G
Elizabeth Kitley, Virginia Tech, Jr., C
Jewel Spear, Wake Forest, So., G
All-ACC Second Team
Taylor Soule, Boston College, Sr., F
Morgan Jones, Florida State, Sr., G
Alyssa Ustby, North Carolina, So., F
Maya Dodson, Notre Dame, Gr., F
Aisha Sheppard, Virginia Tech, Gr., G
Honorable Mention
Lotta-Maj Lahtinen, Georgia Tech, Sr., G
Kelsey Marshall, Miami, Gr., G
Diamond Johnson, NC State, So., G
Kayla Jones, NC State, Gr., F
Teisha Hyman, Syracuse, R-So., G
Georgia Amoore, Virginia Tech, So., G
2021-22 Head Coaches Awards
Player of the Year: Elizabeth Kitley, Virginia Tech, Jr., C
Freshman of the Year: Shayeann Day-Wilson, Duke, Fr., G
Coach of the Year: Wes Moore, NC State
Defensive Player of the Year: Lorela Cubaj, Georgia Tech, 5th Yr., F
Sixth Player of the Year: Diamond Johnson, NC State, So., G
Most Improved Player: Cameron Swartz, Boston College, Sr., G
All-ACC First Team
Cameron Swartz, Boston College, Sr., G
Morgan Jones, Florida State, Sr., G
Lorela Cubaj, Georgia Tech, 5th Yr., F
Emily Engstler, Louisville, Sr., F
Hailey Van Lith, Louisville, So., G
Deja Kelly, North Carolina, So., G
Elissa Cunane, NC State, Sr., C
Maya Dodson, Notre Dame, Gr., F
Olivia Miles, Notre Dame, Fr., G
Elizabeth Kitley, Virginia Tech, Jr., C
All-ACC Second Team
Taylor Soule, Boston College, Sr., F
Delicia Washington, Clemson, Gr., G
Kayla Jones, NC State, Gr., F
Aisha Sheppard, Virginia Tech, Gr., G
Jewel Spear, Wake Forest, So., G
Honorable Mention
Kelsey Marshall, Miami, Gr., G
Georgia Amoore, Virginia Tech, So., G
All-Defensive Team
Lorela Cubaj, Georgia Tech, 5th Yr., F
Emily Engstler, Louisville, Sr., F
Mykasa Robinson, Louisville, Sr., G
Maya Dodson, Notre Dame, Gr., F
Elizabeth Kitley, Virginia Tech, Jr., C
All-Freshman Team (Blue Ribbon & Head Coaches)
Maria Gakdeng, Boston College, C
Shayeann Day-Wilson, Duke, G
O’Mariah Gordon, Florida State, G
Makayla Timpson, Florida State, F
Payton Verhulst, Louisville, G
Ja’Leah Williams, Miami, G
Aziaha James, NC State, F
Sonia Citron, Notre Dame, G
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I don’t understand having 10 players on the 1st team and 5 on the 2nd team… If you’re going to recognize 15 all-conference players, why not just a 1st, 2nd, and 3rd team…
Liz is a pre-med student. She has other options beside going pro. She may well want more biology courses!
Kitley and Sheppard better have their jerseys retired
Surprised Brooks was so far back of the NCSU coach on coach of the year.
I’m not….a very good year but can’t win the big games against highly ranked teams…..that’s what really gets you noticed!
Yeah, looking runnerup-ish to Louisville and NC State. I mean really good but not over the top.
Better to come back.. She needs to become stronger to handle the pro’s bigs…
Opps. this was to be about Liz to Pro..
Does Kitley return for her Senior season or go pro?