Virginia Tech’s Kitley, Miami’s Omier Pick Up ACC Basketball Scholar-Athlete of the Year Honors

03-07-2024

For the third consecutive year, Virginia Tech graduate center Elizabeth Kitley was named the recipient of the Atlantic Coast Conference’s 2023-24 Kay Yow Award for women’s basketball, while Miami fourth-year forward Norchad Omier was chosen as the recipient of the ACC’s 2023-24 Skip Prosser Award for men’s basketball.

The ACC women’s basketball Scholar-Athlete of the Year award is named in memory of the legendary Yow, who won 737 games as a head coach while directing NC State to four ACC Tournament championships and the 1988 U.S. Olympic Team to a gold medal. Yow, who passed away in January 2009, is also remembered for her leadership and courage in her fight against breast cancer.

The Skip Prosser Award is presented annually to the top scholar-athlete in ACC men’s basketball. It is named in memory of Wake Forest head basketball coach George Edward “Skip” Prosser, who passed away on July 26, 2007. Prosser compiled a 291-146 career record in 14 seasons as a head coach, including a 126-68 mark in his six years with Wake Forest. Every Wake Forest senior he coached graduated, and the Demon Deacons placed nine players on the All-ACC Academic Basketball Team during his tenure.

ACC Scholar-Athlete of the Year awards were established in September 2007 to be awarded annually to the top junior or senior student-athlete in their respective sports. Candidates for the awards must have maintained a 3.0 grade point average (GPA) for their career as well as a 3.0 for each of the last two semesters. The award is based 60 percent on academic achievement and 40 percent on athletic accomplishment.

A native of Summerfield, North Carolina, Kitley has been voted the ACC Player of the Year each of the past three seasons. The four-time First-Team All-ACC honoree and All-American selection is one of only two ACC players to average a double-double this season, as she ranks second in the conference in scoring at 22.8 points per game and has hauled in a league-best 11.4 rebounds per contest. She has posted a conference-best 19 double-doubles this season in leading the Hokies to a first-place regular-season finish and seal a double-bye in this week’s 2024 Ally ACC Women’s Basketball Tournament. Kitley won ACC Player of the Week six times this season, matching the conference single-season record held by Duke’s Alana Beard in both 2002-03 and 2003-04. Kitley became the ACC’s all-time leader in rebounds earlier this season on Dec. 21, 2023, and set the league’s record for most double-doubles with her 73rd on Feb. 8, 2024. Kitley currently sits in second place on the ACC’s all-time scoring list with 2,709 points.

Kitley is a four-time All-ACC Academic Team honoree and has been named to the Dean’s List and Athletic Director’s Honor Roll every semester during her time at Virginia Tech. Kitley, who became the fourth back-to-back Kay Yow Award honoree in ACC history and the first since Duke’s Lexie Brown in 2017-18 last year, is the first-ever three-time award winner with this year’s honor. Having graduated with summa cum laude honors following the spring 2023 semester with a degree in human nutrition with concentrations in foods and exercise, Kitley is currently working on a second degree in education, curriculum and instruction (EDCI) over her final season at Virginia Tech.

In his second season at Miami, Omier leads the Hurricanes and ranks in the top 10 in the ACC in scoring at 17.3 points per game, rebounding at 9.5 rebounds per game, which is third overall, and in steals at 1.5 per contest. He also ranks second in the league on the season in field goal percentage, shooting 57.0 percent from the floor. A Third-Team All-ACC selection and NABC Second-Team All-District 2 honoree last year, Omier eclipsed the 1,500-point mark for his career earlier this season, becoming one of only eight current NCAA Division I players with 1,500-plus career points and 1,000-plus career rebounds. He is also tied for the lead in the ACC in double-doubles this year with 14, tied for 18th nationally, and has totaled 12 20-point games this season.

Working toward a degree in sport administration, the Bluefields, Nicaragua, native earned 2022-23 NABC Honors Court and All-ACC Academic Team honors. Over his last two semesters at Miami, Omier was named to the Dean’s List for the 2023 spring semester and the 2023 Provost’s List for the fall term.

The basketball All-ACC Academic Teams will be announced following the completion of the 2023-24 season.

Kay Yow Award Winners
2023-24: Elizabeth Kitley Virginia Tech
2022-23: Elizabeth Kitley Virginia Tech
2021-22: Elizabeth Kitley, Virginia Tech
2020-21: Dana Evans, Louisville
2019-20: Jocelyn Willoughby, Virginia
2018-19: Asia Durr, Louisville
2017-18: Lexie Brown, Duke
2016-17: Lexie Brown, Duke
2015-16: Ashley Williams, NC State
2014-15: Elizabeth Williams, Duke
2013-14: Kody Burke, NC State
2012-13: Marissa Kastanek, NC State
2011-12: Marissa Kastanek, NC State
2010-11: Jasmine Thomas, Duke
2009-10: Jasmine Thomas, Duke
2008-09: Laura Haskins, Virginia Tech
2007-08: Crystal Langhorne, Maryland

Skip Prosser Award Winners
2023-24: Norchad Omier, Miami
2022-23: Hunter Tyson, Clemson
2021-22: Justyn Mutts, Virginia Tech
2020-21: Aamir Simms, Clemson
2019-20: Trent Forrest, Florida State
2018-19: Luke Maye, North Carolina
2017-18: Luke Maye, North Carolina
2016-17: Davon Reed, Miami
2015-16: Marcus Paige, North Carolina
2014-15: Marcus Paige, North Carolina
2013-14: Cameron Wright, Pitt
2012-13: Mason Plumlee, Duke
2011-12: Tyler Zeller, North Carolina
2010-11: Tyler Zeller, North Carolina
2009-10: Jerome Meyinsse, Virginia
2008-09: Jack McClinton, Miami
2007-08: Cliff Hammonds, Clemson