Virginia Tech To Retire Elizabeth Kitley’s Jersey In The Fall

By: David Cunningham | Managing Editor
Elizabeth Kitley is having her jersey retired in the fall. (Jon Fleming)

Elizabeth Kitley is having her jersey retired at Virginia Tech in the fall. She broke the news to Hokies fans in a video during a second-quarter timeout of Saturday’s spring game in Lane Stadium.

The three-time ACC Player of the Year was not in Blacksburg as she’s in New York City preparing for Monday’s WNBA Draft, but her message was well-received nonetheless. Her jersey will be retired at a Hokies women’s basketball game this fall. More information will be released when the team’s 2024-25 schedule is announced around September.

“Thank you, Hokie Nation, for all of your support over the last five years, it’s been quite a journey,” Kitley said in a release. “We’ve made a lot of memories and none of them would have been the same without you guys. We had a lot of success and I’m really proud of what we were able to do in Blacksburg.”

Kitley is arguably the greatest men’s or women’s basketball player to ever play for the Hokies. Her three consecutive ACC Player of the Year accolades speak for themselves: Duke’s Alana Beard (2001-04), Maryland’s Alyssa Thomas (2011-14), NC State’s David Thompson (1972-75) and Virginia’s Ralph Sampson (1980-83) are the only others to accomplish that feat.

She’s a three-time All-American, too. The Summerfield, North Carolina, native was named to the first team in 2024 by The Athletic and Sporting News. She received second-team honors six other times — twice each from The Athletic, the Associated Press and USBWA — and third-team accolades twice. She was also a three-time Kay Yow Scholar-Athlete of the Year.

“Elizabeth’s impact on Virginia Tech and women’s basketball transcends statistics,” Hokies director of athletics Whit Babcock said in the aforementioned release. “Her passion, work ethic and character have left an enduring legacy that is inspiring the next generation. Retiring her jersey is a symbolic gesture of gratitude for the mark she has left on our women’s basketball program and the hearts of Hokie Nation.”

Kitley owns 12 different school records, including career points (2,709), minutes (4,326), games started (151), double-figure games (125), field goals made (1,109), field goal percentage (55.2%) and blocks (331). She also posted 76 double-doubles and grabbed 1,506 rebounds in her five seasons, both of which double as Virginia Tech records and ACC records.

A four-time first team All-ACC selection and a three-time ACC All-Defensive Team nominee, Kitley won ACC Player of the Week honors 15 times. She averaged 23 points and 11 rebounds per game in 2023-24 and was the only player in the country to finish in the top six in points and rebounds. She holds the record for most points in a single game, too, from a 42-point performance on March 18, 2022, in the NCAA Tournament vs. Florida Gulf Coast.

Kitley helped guide the Hokies to three consecutive NCAA Tournaments in 2022, ’23 and ’24. In 2023, they were a No. 1 seed and made a run to the Final Four for the first time. She was also pivotal in Tech winning two conference championships in the last two seasons — at the ACC Tournament in Greensboro in 2023 and the regular-season title in 2024.

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8 Responses You are logged in as Test

  1. Great news. Really curious to know how many WBB recruits (portal and otherwise) were visiting. Sure would like to think the announcement was orchestrated with them in mind — large crowd on hand in Lane to show how much we care about Liz and WBB.

  2. Congratulations to such a amazing basketball player and such a beautiful person inside and out! Wish you great success in the future in sports and life! We love you!❤️🏀🏀

  4. Congrats Liz! You are the GOAT VT women’s basketball player. Good luck in the draft and in all you do.

  8. Well-deserved. Glad they are doing it this Fall she is represented Virginia Tech in all the right ways on and off the court.

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