CHARLOTTE – Virginia Tech graduate student Elizabeth Kitley was named the ACC's Kay Yow Scholar Athlete of the Year for the third time, the conference office announced Wednesday morning. The ACC women's basketball Scholar-Athlete of the Year award is named in memory of the legendary Kay 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 becomes the first woman to win the award three times, breaking a tie with three other women who had won it twice.
Tuesday she was named the ACC's Player of the Year for the third consecutive season, becoming the third woman in ACC history to win the award three times.
The Summerfield, North Carolina native 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 sixth in points per game, rebounds per game and 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.
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 Yow Scholar Athlete of the Year Award Winners
2023-24: Elizabeth Kitley, Virginia Tech
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