After a legendary career in Blacksburg, Liz Kitley's pro career began this evening as she was selected 24th overall in the 2024 WNBA Draft by the two-time defending champion Las Vegas Aces.
Go be great 33 🤩@elizabethkitley x @LVAces #WNBADraft pic.twitter.com/UZEisaRFPO
— Virginia Tech Women's Basketball (@HokiesWBB) April 16, 2024
Kitley is now the third-highest Hokie draft pick in program history behind only Aisha Sheppard and Kayana Traylor who both went 23rd in the 2022 and 2023 WNBA Drafts respectively. The fact that Kitley didn't surpass that record was rather stunning and if not for her torn ACL, she obviously would have blown that record out of the water, likely becoming the first 1st round draft pick in program history.
Kitley leaves Virginia Tech with a legacy unlike any basketball player, and maybe any athlete, in school history. She was a three-time ACC Player of the Year and a two-time All-American who not only set the ACC record for rebounds and double-doubles but also set the school record for points, rebounds, double-double, blocks, and so much more.
Beyond her personal success, Kitley led the Hokies to heights never seen before in Blacksburg leading Tech to its first ever Final Four appearance in 2023 plus the first ever ACC regular season title this past season and the first ACC Tournament title in 2023. She also led Tech to four-straight NCAA Tournament appearances, matching the school record for most consecutive appearances which had been set from 2003-2006.
The biggest legacy may be the massive growth in support for women's basketball at Virginia Tech with regular season sellouts becoming commonplace over the past two years starting with the 2023 NCAA Tournament and continuing multiple times during the regular season before adding two more at the 2024 NCAA Tournament. Even with Kitley, Georgia Amoore, Cayla King, and Kenny Brooks all gone; the residual impact of the Queens era lives on with more support than ever before for women's basketball at Virginia Tech.
For all her success, Kitley will become the second Virginia Tech Women's Basketball player to ever have her jersey retired joining Renee Dennis.
Kitley will have to wait to make her professional debut as she recovers from her torn ACL, though the Aces will be able to put her directly on their injured list as she continues her recovery out west. Kitley will also get to learn the professional ropes from arguably the best center in the WNBA, A'ja Wilson, along with getting to be part of a championship culture. That will certainly be of great benefit to Kitley's pro development, though she will also bring plenty to the Aces' locker room from her tremendous success and leadership in Blacksburg.
