BLACKSBURG – A pair of Hokies, senior guard Aisha Sheppard and sophomore center Elizabeth Kitley were recognized on the Preseason All-ACC Team the conference announced Tuesday morning on Packer and Durham. Sheppard and Kitley, represent the second-highest scoring duo (27.3 points per game) to return to the ACC this upcoming 2020-21 season. 

The show also announced the predicted order of finish, with the league’s coaches and Blue Ribbon Panel of media members both selecting Tech to place seventh in the 15-team league.

A First Team All-ACC member in 2020, Sheppard became the 28th woman to score 1,000 points in maroon and orange last season and continues to climb the charts in 3-point shooting as well. She enters the season in second place all-time with 219 3-point FGs, just 50 behind Vanessa Panousis’ mark of 269. Sheppard averaged 14.8 points per game in 2019-20 and played more than 33 minutes per game, and she will be an integral piece to the Hokies’ success again this campaign.

Kitley begins her sophomore season as the reigning ACC Freshman of the Year, an award she collected after posting 12.5 points per game and 7.5 rebounds per contest last season. Both totals ranked second on the squad and she is Hokies’ top returning rebounder.

After recording 27 points in her first contest, Kitley went on to score in double figures 19 times her freshman season and she collected six double-doubles, all of which led to Tech victories.

The Summerfield, North Carolina native already owns program records for most blocks in an ACC contest (eight) and has the best field goal percentage for an ACC season (.573) as well as most blocks (41).

Both Hokies took home hardware in 2020. 

Blue Ribbon Panel Preseason All-ACC Team (57 voters)
Taylor Soule, Boston College, Jr., F (3)
Dana Evans, Louisville, Sr., G (40)
Janelle Bailey, North Carolina, Sr., C
Elissa Cunane, NC State, Jr., C (11)
Sam Brunelle, Notre Dame, So., F
Kiara Lewis, Syracuse, Sr., G
Tiana Mangakahia, Syracuse, Gr., G (3)
Elizabeth Kitley, Virginia Tech, So., C
Aisha Sheppard, Virginia Tech, Sr., G
Ivana Raca, Wake Forest, Sr., F