Four-star Charlotte girls’ basketball recruit Kamryn Kitchen commits to ACC school

Six years before Kamryn Kitchen told 200 friends and family in the Independence High gym that she was committing to the University of Virginia, Kitchen was a quarterback.

Yes, a quarterback.

“She played flag football, and she was serious about it,” her father, Billy Kitchen, said Wednesday. “She did it all — play offense, play defense, do the kicking. She just loves to compete.”

She still likes the competition.

Kitchen was part of a group of uber-talented Union County girls who seemed to excel at everything. One of those girls, Lily Devereaux, went on to become a soccer standout at Weddington High and is a Mississippi State commit.

“We played soccer together too,” said Devereaux, who was on hand Wednesday to see her friend commit to the Virginia Cavaliers.

“They played for the Charlotte Soccer Academy,” Billy Kitchen said, referring to the elite youth soccer development program.

Kam Kitchen’s life changed in seventh grade, when she attended a basketball camp headed by Independence High coach Lauren Galvani and Cierra Burdick, a former Butler High and Tennessee standout who’s now playing professionally in Europe.

“I didn’t really love basketball,” Kitchen said Wednesday.

“She was a gangly seventh-grader, but we realized in a hurry that she could be very good,” Galvani said.

The Kitchen family moved to Mint Hill, and Kam Kitchen became a big piece of an Independence High team that went 67-17 over the lpast three seasons.

In three years, Kitchen scored 1,072 points and made 200 3-point field goals. Galvani said that ranks No. 1 all-time in Mecklenburg County.

High school fans won’t get to see a fourth year of Kam Kitchen in an Independence uniform.

Kitchen, rated as a four-star recruit, decided on Memorial Day weekend to reclassify as a senior, graduate this year, and head off to college in August.

“Kam really wrestled with the issue of whether to come back for her senior year or not,” said her mother, Beth. “She only needed two classes to graduate, and the administration here worked with her to set that up.”

Beth Kitchen said her daughter initially decided to return to Independence next school year.

“But she told us, ‘This (reclassifying) makes the most sense for me,’ ” her mother said.

One reason is Galvani, who has worked with her for four years, is moving to Lees-McRae College as head women’s coach.

Another reason is ... well, Kitchen is ready.

“I feel it’s time to move on,” said Kitchen, who will turn 18 in September. “I’ve always wanted to challenge myself.”

Her decision comes about a week after another high school standout, Watauga High’s Kate Sears, committed to Virginia Tech. Kitchen and Sears were expected to be among the cream of the crop in N.C. high school basketball next season.

Sears, who plans to finish her senior year at Watauga, was in Mint Hill on Wednesday morning and shot baskets with Kitchen in the Independence gym.

Kitchen had narrowed her choices down to Illinois, Penn State, Louisville, Marquette, Virginia Tech and Virginia.

Her older brother, Will, jokingly said he tried talking her into picking Penn State.

“Then we could go up there and see Big Ten football,” he said with a laugh, before adding, “but we’re all excited about her choice.”

Kitchen finished her three-year high school career by averaging 14.5 points, 4.0 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 2.4 steals a game.