SPRINGFIELD, MASS. — The Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame announced the 10 finalists for the 2024 Naismith Women's Defensive Player of the Year Monday afternoon, including Virginia Tech standout center Elizabeth Kitley.
The Summerfield, North Carolina native, Kitley won ACC Player of the Year for the third consecutive season and ranks second in the conference in scoring (22.79), second in field goal percentage (55.6%), first in rebounds (11.38), second in blocks (2.07), first in double-doubles (19) and first in 30-point games with eight.
She won ACC Player of the Week six times, the most of any athlete, including a stretch of four consecutive weeks in February. The six POW honors ties Alana Beard for the most in any single season in conference history.
With her Player of the Year Award comes a fourth first team All-ACC nod, just the second player in conference history to accomplish the feat (Duke's Elizabeth Williams). Kitley was also recognized as an All-Defensive Team member for the third consecutive season.
Nationally, Kitley ranks second in field goals, trailing only Iowa's Caitlin Clark. She is fifth in points per game, seventh in rebounds per game and eighth in double-doubles.
She has claimed the top spot in several categories in the Virginia Tech annals this season including: starts, minutes played, double figure games, 30-point games and rebounds, which is also an ACC watermark.
In terms of single-season achievements, the 2023-24 season has seen Kitley produce the highest scoring average in program history, score the most field goals and come within six points of the record for single season scoring.