CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Virginia Tech center Elizabeth Kitley has become the third player in Atlantic Coast Conference history to be named league player of the year for three straight seasons.
The 6-foot-6 graduate was selected as the league’s top player in awards announced Tuesday, the day before the start of the league tournament. The winners included Notre Dame freshman Hannah Hidalgo, who was named the league rookie and defensive player of the year, while Felisha Legette-Jack of No. 20 Syracuse was named the top coach.
Kitley — whose status is in question due to an apparent knee injury — joins Duke’s Alana Beard (2002-04) and Maryland’s Alyssa Thomas (2012-14) as the only players to win the award for three straight years.
Other individual winners included Duke’s Oluchi Okananwa as sixth player of the year and Pittsburgh’s Liatu King as most improved.
Kitley headlined the 10-player all-ACC first team, joining Hildalgo, Dyaisha Fair, Virginia Tech teammate Georgia Amoore and Florida State’s Ta’Niya Latson as the top vote-getters.
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