Virginia Tech’s Kitley, Boston College’s Gakdeng Earn ACC WBB Weekly Honors
from www.theacc.com
GREENSBORO, N.C. (theACC.com) – Virginia Tech junior center Elizabeth Kitley has been named Atlantic Coast Conference Women’s Basketball Player of the Week for the fourth time this season, and Boston College center Maria Gakdeng earned her second consecutive ACC Freshman of the Week honor.
ACC women’s basketball weekly awards are voted on by the league’s Blue Ribbon Panel.
Kitley averaged 20.0 points, 15.5 rebounds and 4.0 blocks per game to lead Virginia Tech to a pair of historic victories. She scored a game-high 27 points with 13 rebounds in a 77-55 win over No. 15 Duke, the largest margin of victory for the Hokies against a ranked opponent in program history.
The Summerfield, North Carolina, native tallied 13 points and led all players with 18 rebounds as Virginia Tech earned a 66-53 road win at Wake Forest to help the Hokies start 3-0 in ACC play for the first time in school history.
Kitley owns the most double-doubles (7) and 20-point games (7) of any player in the conference this season.
Gakdeng turned in a pair of strong performances for the Eagles last week, as Boston College fell to third-ranked Louisville and earned a 36-point victory against New Hampshire, 88-52. She led the team in rebounding and blocked shots in both games, tying her career best with nine boards against the Cardinals in addition to eight points and two blocks.
Against New Hampshire on Saturday, Gakdeng recorded her fifth game in double figures and third in the last four games with 10 points on 5-of-8 shooting with six rebounds and a block. The Lanham, Maryland, native leads all ACC freshmen and is fifth among freshmen nationally in blocks (21) and blocks per game (1.62).
ACC women’s basketball teams return to action Thursday evening with a full slate of conference matchups, headlined by an ACC Network doubleheader featuring Clemson at Florida State at 6 p.m. and No. 5 NC State hosting No. 19 North Carolina at 8 p.m.
2021-22 ACC Player of the Week Honors
Nov. 15 – Elizabeth Kitley, Virginia Tech, Jr., C | Jewel Spear, Wake Forest, So., G
Nov. 22 – Elizabeth Kitley, Virginia Tech, Jr., C
Nov. 29 – Diamond Johnson, NC State, So., G
Dec. 6 – Teisha Hyman, Syracuse, R-So., G
Dec. 13 – Lorela Cubaj, Georgia Tech, 5th Year, F
Dec. 20 – Elizabeth Kitley, Virginia Tech, Jr., C
Dec. 27 – Maya Dodson, Notre Dame, Gr., F
Jan. 3 – Elizabeth Kitley, Virginia Tech, Jr., C
"My teammates are really unselfish and really good at getting me the ball where I want it so I couldn't do it without them." Great to talk with @NWGuilfordWBB alum & @HokiesWBB center @elizabethkitley, who is 2nd in the ACC in scoring & rebounding. @WFMY @CoachBrooksVT pic.twitter.com/aUClElqwma
— Brian Hall (@bhallwfmy) January 5, 2022
2021-22 ACC Freshman of the Week Honors
Nov. 15 – Sonia Citron, Notre Dame, G
Nov. 22 – Sonia Citron, Notre Dame, G
Nov. 29 – Shayeann Day-Wilson, Duke, G
Dec. 6 – Sonia Citron, Notre Dame, G
Dec. 13 – Lashae Dwyer, Miami, G
Dec. 20 – Sonia Citron, Notre Dame, G
Dec. 27 – Maria Gakdeng, Boston College, C
Jan. 3 – Maria Gakdeng, Boston College, C