Virginia Tech Center Elizabeth Kitley Named ACC Player of the Year For 2022-23

By: David Cunningham | Managing Editor
Virginia Tech center Elizabeth Kitley was named ACC Player of the Year again. (Giovanni Heater)

On Tuesday, the Atlantic Coast Conference announced that Virginia Tech center Elizabeth Kitley is the league’s Player of the Year for the second straight season.

“I think she’s the best player in the league,” Virginia Tech head coach Kenny Brooks said on Monday. “The way she’s played down the stretch has been remarkable. We had that game at Duke, they were extremely physical with her. [I] just saw something, the glow in her eye, the lightbulb went off and she’s had tremendous performances ever since.”

After averaging 19 points and 11 rebounds per game, Kitley became the 10th woman in ACC history to earn the honor in back-to-back years. She’s the third straight two-time winner, joining Louisville’s Asia Durr and Dana Evans.

Kitley was the only player in the league to average a double-double this season and was a four-time ACC Player of the Week. After four consecutive double-doubles – she’s up to 52 for her career, three shy of Regan Magarity’s school record – she won the award the last two weeks. On top of that, she broke the school’s all-time scoring record on Thursday at then-No. 22 North Carolina and hit a buzzer beater for the win.

The senior from Summerfield, N.C. also earned First Team All-ACC accolades for the third straight season, the most in program history. She ranked fourth in scoring (18.8 ppg), first in rebounding (10.7) and second in field goal percentage (56.9%).

She also led the league in blocked shots (62 on the year, 2.3 per game). As a result, she was an ACC’s All-Defensive Team honoree for the second straight season.

Georgia Amoore joined Kitley on the first team, too, after averaging 15 points and five assists per game. She recorded the school’s first-ever triple-double in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge back in December vs. Nebraska.

Amoore was named ACC Player of the Week on Feb. 13 after scoring 52 points in wins against then-No. 22 NC State and then-No. 19 Florida State. She was 18-of-35 (51.4%) that week while dishing out 15 assists.

The Aussie led the ACC in 3-point shooting with 2.9 makes per game (80-of-243). She also finished third in assists with 5.4 per game. 

Taylor Soule, who was named to the All-ACC Second Team, earned her fourth conference accolade of her career. The Boston College transfer averaged 11 points and six rebounds per game while shooting 51.7% from the floor. Moreover, she had two double-double performances against Virginia and Pitt.

The trio helped No. 8 Virginia Tech to a 24-4 overall record and a 14-4 mark in conference play. The Hokies have won eight consecutive games and are the No. 3 seed in the ACC tournament, which starts on Wednesday in Greensboro. They face the winner of No. 6 seed Miami and No. 11 seed Boston College/No. 14 seed Georgia Tech at 8 p.m. ET on Friday on the ACC Network. Click here for the full bracket.

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  2. Congrats to all three: hard earned, well deserved, and thank you for a fantastic season.

    Liz is also to be commended for her patience, demeanor and endurance in getting shoved around (to put it nicely) incessantly!

    GO HOKIES!

  3. My family and I love watching this team! I wish we could keep them longer… I think this could be the beginning of a VT basketball dynasty under coach Brooks. See you in Greensboro!

    Let’s Go!

  4. Liz Kitley is the best player I have ever seen play at VT and I have been going and watching the ladies for decades. Congrats on the POY award. After the beatings and maulings you have taken this year, you richly deserve the award. I have watched a lot of ACC teams and there is no one who even comes close to you. I may be selfish-but let’s come back and make it 3 years in a row. I will be in Greensboro cheering you and the rest of the team on to the ACC championship title.
    I would also like to congratulate Georgia and Taylor for being named to the first and second team all ACC teams. LET’S GO HOKIES !!!!

  5. Congrats Liz! Well earned award. Don’t forget, the third times the charm! Hope to see you playing again next year for the Hokies!

  6. Congratulations to Liz and the team and to Coach Brooks for a terrific season. This team has been so much fun to watch. If there are any Hokie fans not watching these games, they are really missing something.

  7. Congratulations Liz, Georgia, and Taylor and the rest of the team! Y’all make us proud to be Hokies. Your team has become my wife and my favorite sport to watch this year. Looking forward to going to the NCAA tourney in Blacksburg to continue to cheer you on!

  8. Congratulations Liz, you are an outstanding basketball player and ambassador for the Virginia Tech Hokies. We love you gal !!!

  9. A well deserved award for Liz. Kudos also to Amoore, Soule, rest of the team and especially CKB for recruiting this group of amazing young ladies.

  11. congratulations! Miss Kitley.
    and congratulations team mates and coaches for being a huge part of both POYs!

    roll on through the acc tournament with great-team wins.

    then power through the ncaa to a team and VT championship!

    please comeback for 2023-2024!

    Let’s Go! Hokies!

  14. Love that team and those young ladies!!!
    They are a credit to their families, teams, themselves and VA Tech!!!

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