The Virginia Tech women’s basketball team had a record-breaking season this past year, making it to the Final Four. Unfortunately, they came up just short, falling in the Final Four to a historically good LSU, led by superstar Angel Reese. This year, the Hokies Liz Kitley, Georgia Amoore, and Cayla King are back for revenge. These women consistently pack the stands of Cassell Coliseum and have proven themselves a force to reckon with. This team is filled with energy, and after last year’s deep run in the Tournament, they have a feel for what the nitty gritty of the Tournament is like. The season should be interesting for the women as they get their second chance at a national championship.
This preseason, the team is ranked eighth overall in the NCAA and is ranked first in the ACC. As I mentioned before, many of the team’s star players are back for another dance. The league recently crowned Elizabeth Kitley, Player of the Year, and she is again poised to lead this team. Kitley was likely to head to the WNBA as a high draft pick, but to the delight of Hokie fans everywhere, she chose to stay in Blacksburg to take one more shot at a national title. Georgia Amoore, the 22-year-old guard from Australia, is back as well. Amoore is a 3-point specialist, and is tiny but mighty on the court. Last but definitely not least, Cayla King, another 22-year-old guard (this time from Greensboro NC), is back as one of the many queens of Cassel.
Learning from previous setbacks is key to any sport. The team came up just barely short of their ultimate goal, and getting over that final hurdle will require just a few notable changes. During their season-ending game against LSU, the women’s offense seemed to suddenly run cold, at least as compared to their usual performance all season long and to that point in the Tournament. They also couldn’t seem to keep the ball for long enough, committing costly turnovers at the worst possible times. This year, Georgia Amoore, who holds the Virginia Tech record for three-pointers, will likely take on an even greater role in this team’s offense. And with last year’s playoff experience, Amoore should be in an even better position to carry her game throughout the postseason. Kitley and King have been playing ball side-by-side since the ninth grade, and this chemistry pays off on the court. With her height and soft midrange shot, Kitley can be almost unguardable at times. There is no reason for her not to continue that domination in what will be her last college season. King is really the third musketeer in this trio that cleans up all the edges and helps coordinate all the other pieces. King leads the team in three-point percentage and has a wide range of abilities on the court. These three will be the key pieces for this team and will inspire the younger players to continue their legacy.
This team can do something really special with their 2023-24 season. Not every team gets the chance to have their top three players return after a deep tournament run, and the Hokies are poised to use the experience from last year to drive them even further this season. In addition, the Hokies have added to their bench strength with some new and exciting freshmen including transfer portal signings Matila Ekh (Minnesota), Olivia Summiel (Wake Forest), and Rose Micheaux (Minnesota). This team has proven that they are the team to beat– they are already ranked first in the preseason ACC poll– and this year they’re hungry for more. The chemistry between each player and coach is something that can’t be ignored. The three stars, Kitley, Amoore and King, have been playing for Coach Kenny Brooks for four and a half years now and their connection is as strong as ever. This year the team gets a chance to clean up those rough edges and push their life in the championship further. We wish you the best of luck, Hokies!