The Virginia women’s basketball program picked up a big high school commitment on Wednesday afternoon. Kamryn Kitchen announced her choice of UVA in a signing event at her school and on social media.
Kitchen carried a 4-star rating in the Class of 2025 from 247Sports and was the the nation’s No. 57 prospect per ESPN’s HoopGurlz rankings, but is reclassifying into the 2024 class and will join the Wahoos this season. She chose Virginia over offers from Penn State, Illinois, Louisville, Marquette, and Virginia Tech as finalists.
A 5’9” guard out of Independence High School in Charlotte, N.C. (Team Curry for travel basketball), Kitchen scored more than 1,000 points in just three seasons with her team. Last season, she shot 54.0% from the field and 42.0% from 3-point range on the way to the the Southwestern4A Player of the Year Award in her district. She set her team’s record with 200 made 3-pointers in her career.
“I’m very excited to officially welcome Kam into our family,” Virginia women’s basketball coach Amaka Agugua-Hamilton said in a news release. “Since her first visit to UVA a few years ago, it was clear that she would seamlessly fit into our culture. Kam is a high-character student-athlete who knows how to grind on and off the court. She is graduating from high school early and enrolling at UVA this August, which is a true testament to her dedication and work ethic. Kam is a shooter who has added so much versatility to her game over the past few years and is going to bring a different dynamic to our offense. Wahoo Nation, you are going to love her.”
With Kitchen’s commitment, Virginia will now feature two incoming players from the high school Class of 2024. Breona Hurd, a 6’2” forward also ranked as a 4-star prospect, signed in the fall. The Missouri native tallied 1,648 points and 801 rebounds in her high school career.
UVA also announced the signing of four players in the transfer portal this spring. Maryland’s Hawa Doumbouya, Miami’s Latasha Lattimore, UNC’s RyLee Grays, and Long Beach State’s Casey Valenti-Paea make up that quartet.
Virginia Legend Travis Watson Hosts Camp
Virginia basketball legend Travis Watson, Director of Training at Legacy Driven, will host a one-of-a-kind camp next week for students in grades 7-10. The “Stick & Move” day camp offers a unique blend of basketball and boxing.
“Drawing from my personal journey, I deeply understand the profound impact sport can have on shaping lives,” Watson said in a news release. “This innovative camp offers a comprehensive athletic experience, nutrition instruction, enhancing agility, strength, discipline, and mental resilience. I am thrilled to partner with Wartime Fitness Warriors and Toyota Charlottesville to give back in a manner that transcends the sports of basketball and boxing.”
Watson played for UVA from 1999-2003 and led the ACC in rebounding in 2002 (9.7) and 2003 (10.4). He finished his career with 1,546 career points and 1,115 career rebounds, second to only Ralph Sampson in program history. He had 54 double-doubles in his career. The ACC honored Watson with a Living Legend Award in 2013.
Watson founded Legacy Driven, a 501(c)(3) youth development organization, in 2023. The goal is to support young athletes, including under-served and at-risk youth, by helping them reach their full potential. For sponsorship opportunities for the Stick & Move camp, contact [email protected] .
Kyle Guy Entering Team In TBT
Kyle Guy, another fan favorite among the Virginia faithful, decided to enter a team in this summer’s The Basketball Tournament (TBT) , a summer event that held its 10th tourney last year. It pits 64 teams within 8 regions playing through for a $1 million winner-take-all prize.
The TBT uses the Elam Ending, where a target score is set 8 points beyond the leader’s score as the fourth quarter. For example, if the score stands at 75-72, the target score becomes 83 and the first team to reach that mark, wins.
Guy is not playing but managing the team. The “Fail Harder” team will be based out of Indiana and compete in the Butler Regional. The region rounds are set for July 19-24. The Semifinals and Championship are August 2 and August 4 at Drexel University in Philadelphia.