Aces Select Elizabeth Kitley With 24th Pick in 2024 WNBA Draft

And it’s what makes her joining the Las Vegas Aces so sweet. Earlier this year, the Aces revealed that they had already sold out five games this upcoming season.

The Aces know how to pack an arena — but so does Kitley. And now they’re teaming up.

The 6-foot-6 center became the second Hokies player drafted by the Aces since 2022 — joining Aisha Sheppard (No. 23 in 2022) on that list.

She’s also one of two ACC players the Aces drafted this year, joining Dyaisha Fair (No. 16).

Between Kitley and Fair, the Aces found a way to snag two of the biggest steals of the draft.

The Elizabeth Kitley Show Will Have to Wait

Kitley was considered a top-10 pick in the draft until she suffered a torn ACL in her regular-season finale vs. Virginia on March 3. She had surgery last month and is currently in recovery mode.

That recovery will last the entire 2024 season, but she’ll be ready to compete in 2025.

“I get a year to sit behind and watch the best in the league, especially at my position with A’ja Wilson,” Kitley told Holly Rowe of ESPN. “That’s just incredible.”

Kitley finished the 2023-24 season with 22.8 points, 11.4 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 2.1 blocks, and 34.3 minutes per game (29 games). She was the only NCAAW player to finish in the top-six in both scoring and rebounding.

Her season also included eight 30-point performances and 19 double-doubles.

She might’ve been on crutches, but she was one of 15 players selected to attend the draft — joining Fair, her new teammate. Kate Martin was also in attendance and was selected at No. 18.

Snagging those three players in the second round was pretty special for a team looking to win their third consecutive title.

And Kitley is already getting some love in Sin City.

“Chelsea Gray actually reached out to me, and that’s just one example of someone that’s given me their love and support, and it means a lot, it’s brought me here today and hopefully I’ll keep that hope and support for the next year,” she said.

A Legendary College Career

Kitley was already well on her way to greatness before arriving at Virginia Tech.

She was a two-time state champion at Northwest Guilford in Greensboro, NC and a McDonald’s All-American nominee in 2018.

She was also a National Honor Society member and ranked 18 of 535 in her graduating class.

Over the next five years, she would play (and start) in 151 games for the Hokies. She finished her career with 2,709 points (17.9 per game), 1,506 rebounds (10.0), 331 blocks (2.2), and 222 assists (1.5).

And she’s a bonafide record-breaker, holding several campus records at Virginia Tech.

Among those records are the most points (2,709), rebounds (1,506), blocks (331), double-doubles (76), minutes played (4,326), starts (151), double-figure games (125), field goals made (1,109), and field goal percentage (55.2%).

She also holds the record for most points in a single game — dropping a 42-piece against Florida in 2022.

Kitley was a three-time All-American, won three consecutive ACC Player of the Year awards, and is the ACC all-time leader in rebounds and double-doubles.

She led the Hokies to their first ACC Tournament title and first Final Four appearance in 2023, as well as their first regular-season title this past year.

Kitley’s Number Will Hang in the Rafters

On April 13, just two days before the draft, Virginia Tech’s athletic director, Whit Babcock, announced that the school will retire Kitley’s No. 33.

“Elizabeth’s impact on Virginia Tech and women’s basketball transcends statistics. Her passion, work ethic and character have left an enduring legacy that is inspiring the next generation,” Babcock said.

“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.”

The team will hold a ‘Liz Kitley Night’ at Carilion Clinic Court at Cassell Coliseum at some point next season.

“That means everything. Those five years at Virginia Tech were so, so special. I wouldn’t change a thing about it,” Kitley said of her time at VT.

“The people I had around there. The teammates, the coaches, they were just incredible. They made me who I was. For me to bring that attention to Virginia Tech was just so fun.”

Now, she’s bringing that fun to Las Vegas.

And while she won’t be on the court for some time, she’ll make her presence known from afar.

The Aces start training camp on April 28. The season starts May 14.

We’re almost there!