Not often do you see a rookie drafted in the second round who manages to secure a spot on the roster. With only 156 spots available in the league, it’s a tough battle for any newcomer to claim one. That makes forward Elizabeth Kitley’s story even more impressive. Drafted in the second round of the 2024 WNBA draft by the Las Vegas Aces, Kitley didn’t participate in team workouts that year as she was recovering from an ACL injury. Instead, she focused on rehab, using the organization’s facilities and medical staff. After a full year of recovery, Kitley signed her rookie contract with the Aces in February 2025.

It’s been a year to remember for Kitley, who made her Aces debut on May 17 against the Liberty. As Virginia Tech’s all-time top scorer, she’s faced plenty of challenges since leaving the program. But her journey is a true testament to hard work, patience, and determination. Against all odds, she’s made it this far. And now, it’s the perfect time to dive deeper and learn more about her background. Let’s take a closer look.

Where is Elizabeth Kitley from, and what is her nationality?

Kitley was born on September 17, 2001, in Summerfield, North Carolina. Growing up, she played basketball, softball, and volleyball, but by fifth grade, softball was her favorite. However, before her freshman year at Northwest Guilford High School in Greensboro, she shifted her focus to basketball. And why won’t she? She was standing an impressive 6 ft 2! As a sophomore, Kitley led her team to their first-ever state championship in the 4A tournament and earned MVP honors in the title game. She repeated this feat her junior year, helping her team secure another state title and again taking home MVP honors.

In 2019, she committed to Virginia Tech and went on to represent the Hokies for five seasons. Across 151 games, Kitley averaged 17.3 points, 10 rebounds, 1.5 assists, and 2.2 blocks per game. She shot 55.2% from the field and 28.6% from beyond the arc, earning multiple accolades — including two-time ACC Player of the Year. A truly memorable college career before heading into the big leagues!

What is Elizabeth Kitley ‘s ethnicity?

Elizabeth Kitley’s parents are Ralph and Loretta Kitley. Basketball runs in the family. Her dad played college ball at Wake Forest and went pro in Germany and Brazil. After retiring from basketball, he worked as principal at several schools, including Northwest Guilford High, Southeast High, and GTCC Middle College High School before retiring. Loretta, her mom, was also principal at Early/Middle College at GTCC – Jamestown. Growing up in North Carolina with such a strong basketball background, it’s fair to say Elizabeth is of American ethnicity, though there are no official confirmations. We will be to update this section if we get any confirmed reports!

Is Elizabeth Kitley Christian?

There aren’t any confirmed reports about Elizabeth Kitley’s religion. If we get any reliable info in the future, we’ll be sure to update you! That said, about 68% of the U.S. population identifies as Christian according to various reports, so it’s possible Kitley might be too. But again, this is just an assumption–we can’t officially confirm it.