Elizabeth Kitley could have been a first-round pick in the 2023 WNBA Draft. But she had unfinished business at Virginia Tech.
The Hokies reached the Final Four as a No. 1 seed in 2023, but lost to eventual champion LSU. So Kitley decided to take advantage of the extra year of eligibility granted as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic to once again pursue his national title.
The fifth-year center now has another chance to win a coveted NCAA championship at Virginia Tech. The Hokies will earn the No. 4 seed in the 2024 March Madness slot and will face No. 13 seed Marshall in the Round of 64.
But Kitley's status for that game is questionable. She is still working her way back from her injury and it is unclear whether she will be available for Friday's first round.
Here's the latest on Kitley's status for March Madness.
What are Elizabeth Kitley's injuries?
Kitley appears to be dealing with an undisclosed knee injury sustained in the ACC Tournament quarterfinals against Virginia Tech and Miami on March 8.
The star center suffered a non-contact injury to his left knee and left the game in the third quarter. The Hokies won that game, but Kitley missed the semifinal loss to Notre Dame.
Virginia Tech did not disclose the exact nature of the injury, but head coach Kenny Brooks took Kitley's WNBA future into consideration when evaluating whether he would be available for the NCAA Tournament.
“If Liz didn't have a future in basketball, we might [have] I tried it last week and it worked great. ” Mr Brooks said Sunday. “But we want to make sure that everything is fine with her, and she will be able to do that. [make] It has a positive impact on us. This week will definitely decide that. I’m going to push it more and see what happens.”
Here's Kenny Brooks' answer when asked if Elizabeth Kitley could potentially play against Marshall (via @BermanRoanoke): pic.twitter.com/FOPikbt6gO
— Anthony Romano (@ARomanoWDBJ) March 18, 2024
There are several ways to analyze this statement since the injury circumstances were not made public.
The injury could be serious if Brooks is considering Kitley's future in basketball. Then again, Brooks is considering moving forward with the process, and perhaps the injury isn't as serious as he thinks.
How long will Elizabeth Kitley be out?
Kitley is dealing with an undisclosed injury believed to stem from his left knee.
A timetable for his return has not yet been determined, but Brooks told reporters Sunday that “everything has a chance” when asked if Kitley would play against Marshall in the first round.
Sporting News will continue to update as more information regarding Kitley's injury becomes available.
Elizabeth Kitley 2023-24 Statistics
22.8 points per game 11.4 rebounds per game 1.8 assists per game 0.6 steals per game 2.1 blocks per game 2.1 turnovers per game 55.6 percent field goal shooting 40 percent 3-point shooting (2 of 2 total) Free Slow shooting 77.4%
Stream: Watch Virginia Tech vs. Marshall live on Sling
Virginia Tech March Madness Schedule
No. 4 seed Virginia Tech will play No. 13 seed Marshall in the round of 64 on Friday, March 22 at 3:30 p.m. ET.
Round Opponent Date/Time (ET) Round of 64 No. 13 Marshall Friday, March 22nd 3:30pm ET
