Senior center Elizabeth Kitley was named the ACC's Kay Yow Scholar Athlete of the Year for the second time, the conference office announced Wednesday. The ACC women's basketball Scholar-Athlete of the Year award is named in memory of the legendary Yow, who won 737 games as a head coach while directing NC State to four ACC Tournament championships and the 1988 U.S. Olympic Team to a gold medal. Yow, who passed away in January of 2009, is also remembered for her leadership and courage in her fight against breast cancer.
Kitley is the fourth woman to repeat as the award winner, following Duke's Lexie Brown, NC State's Marissa Kastanek and Duke's Jasmine Thomas.
Kitley was named the ACC's Player of the Year for the second consecutive season, the conference office announced Tuesday evening. She became the eighth woman in ACC history to win the award in consecutive seasons and the ninth to win it twice.
The Summerfield, North Carolina native ranks fourth in the conference in scoring (18.78), second in field goal percentage (.569), first in rebounds (10.74), first in blocks (2.3), first in double-doubles (18) and is the only athlete in the conference to record a 20-rebound game.
She won ACC Player of the Week four times, the most of any athlete, including each of the last two weeks as she has recorded four consecutive 20-point double-doubles while shooting 60.2% from the field.
With her Player of the Year Award comes a third First Team All-ACC nod, the most in program history. Kitley was also recognized as an All-Defensive Team member for the second consecutive season. She led the conference in rebounding, defensive rebounds and blocks per game this season.
Kitley is the 20th woman in league history to be named First Team All-ACC three times.
ACC Scholar-Athlete of the Year awards were established in September 2007 to be awarded annually to the top junior or senior student-athlete in their respective sports. Candidates for the awards must have maintained a 3.0 grade point average for their career as well as a 3.0 for each of the last two semesters. The award is based 60 percent on academic achievement and 40 percent on athletic accomplishment.
Kay Vow Award Winners
2022-23: Elizabeth Kitley, Virginia Tech
2021-22: Elizabeth Kitley, Virginia Tech
2020-21: Dana Evans, Louisville
2019-20: Jocelyn Willoughby, Virginia
2018-19: Aisa Durr, Louisville
2017-18: Lexie Brown, Duke
2016-17: Lexie Brown, Duke
2015-16: Ashley Williams, NC State
2014-15: Elizabeth Williams, Duke
2013-14: Kody Burke, NC State
2012-13: Marissa Kastanek, NC State
2011-12: Marissa Kastanek, NC State
2010-11: Jasmine Thomas, Duke
2009-10: Jasmine Thomas, Duke
2008-09: Laura Haskins, Virginia Tech
2007-08: Crystal Langhorne, Maryland
