D1 · Atlantic 10 Conference

VCU Men’s Basketball Recruiting: Roster & Openings

KenPom #47 · 28–8 · 2025–26 · Division 1 · Atlantic 10 Conference · Richmond, VA

VCU finished 28–8 (A-10 2nd, KenPom #47) in 2025–26. 14 players hold the 2026–27 roster; 7 are new this season.

Roster data through 2026–27

Roster14 players
New this season7
Transfer additions4
Clearest projected openingGuards · 2028
Most common home statePA (5)

Where the door opens

our roster projection · your arrival year

Guards: open from 2028 — 8 ahead.

Forwards: blocked until 2030.

2027
Gcrowded10 ahead
Fcrowded4 ahead
2028
Gopening8 ahead
Fbalanced3 ahead
2029
Gopening3 ahead
Fbalanced2 ahead · multi-yr
2030
Gopen1 ahead
Fopen2 ahead

Projections for 2029, 2030 are low-confidence reads.

Guards in that room (10)
Jordan Tillery6′5″So
Ahmad Nowell6′0″Jr
Blake Harper6′7″Jr
Nyle Ralph-Beyer6′4″Jr
Nyk Lewis6′1″So
Tyrell Ward6′6″Sr
Joshua Wyche6′7″RS-Jr
Brandon Jennings6′4″Jr
Michael Belle6′8″Sr
Sammy Jackson6′7″Fr
Forwards in that room (4)
Torey Alston6′9″Jr
Lazar Djokovic6′11″Sr
Stefan Plisnic6′10″Fr
Collin Ross6′10″Fr
Those openings are for the roster in general. See whether your position, size and profile fit them →

If you want to play at VCU

How to get recruited here

For 2027 arrivals the roster projection reads: G crowded (10 ahead), F crowded (4 ahead).

Of the latest cycle's 7 arrivals, 3 came straight from high school and 4 from the transfer portal.

Most arrivals come from PA, FL, VA.

7 of 14 recent arrivals held a national ranking — 7 of 14 appear in our cross-checked rankings ledger; players absent from the ledger are not necessarily unranked.

59% of last season's scoring returns.

The roster, as a depth chart

2026–27 · 14 players

Guards 10 of 14

Michael Belle6′8″Sr · final yr7.3 PPG
Blake Harper6′7″Jr
Joshua Wyche6′7″RS-Jr
Sammy Jackson6′7″Fr
Tyrell Ward6′6″Sr · final yr5.7 PPG
Jordan Tillery6′5″So4.3 PPG
Nyle Ralph-Beyer6′4″Jr
Brandon Jennings6′4″Jr8.5 PPG
Nyk Lewis6′1″So8.7 PPG
Ahmad Nowell6′0″Jr4.5 PPG

Frontcourt 4 of 14 · forwards + centers

Lazar Djokovic6′11″Sr · F · final yr13.2 PPG
Stefan Plisnic6′10″Fr · F
Collin Ross6′10″Fr · F
Torey Alston6′9″Jr · F
freshman final year — spot opens returning

Returning production

59%of recorded scoring returns
3 of 5top scorers returning
Top returning scorers
Lazar Djokovic13.2 PPG in 2025–26 · returning
Nyk Lewis8.7 PPG in 2025–26 · returning
Brandon Jennings8.5 PPG in 2025–26 · returning

Computed from 12 of 14 players on the 2025–26 roster with recorded stats; "returning" means listed on the 2026–27 roster.

Who actually gets onto this roster?

How players arrive

3from high school4via the portal

10 of 14 roster spots were filled out of high school or held over.

Rankings

7 of 14

7 of 14 appear in our cross-checked rankings ledger; players absent from the ledger are not necessarily unranked.

Best-ranked: Tyrell Ward #34.

Where from

PA 5 · FL 2 · VA 2 · DC 1 · GA 1 · MD 1

6 international: Belgrade, Serbia; Gornji Milanovac, Serbia; London; Washington, D.C. and 2 more

High schools: Gonzaga HS ×2; Strasbourg; Graficko-Medijska (Xavier/Charleston) and 2 more

Transfer flow

named arrivals and departures

2025–26 → 2026–27 · in

→Blake Harper
→Torey Alston
→Nyle Ralph-Beyer
→Joshua Wyche

2025–26 → 2026–27 · out

←Keyshawn Mitchell
←Terrence Hill Jr.
←Jordann Dumont
←Obinnaya Okafor

How this roster compares

Atlantic 10 Conference (14 programs, 2025–26 medians)
MeasureVCUConference
Average guard height6′5″6′3″+2″
Average frontcourt height6′10″6′9″+1″
Roster size1416−2
Freshman share21%25%−4pp

The five-year arc

kenpom rank · wins · conference finish
#522021–22#622022–23#822023–24#322024–25#472025–26
22–10 · A-10 3rd27–8 · A-10 1st24–14 · A-10 4th28–7 · A-10 1st28–8 · A-10 2nd

Coaching staff

Phil Martelli, Jr.Head coach
Jimmy MartelliAssociate head coach
Chris ColeAssistant coach
Brett NelsonAssistant coach
Brandon RozzellAssistant coach
Dwayne LeeAssistant coach
Staff changes12 on-court staff changes in 4 offseasons — 4 before 2023–24, 8 before 2025–26.

Academics

published admissions data
Acceptance rate93%
SAT midpoint1185
ACT midpoint25

How this page is made: Rosters: official VCU rosters, 2025–26 and 2026–27, read from the athletic department's own site · Season: VCU's 2026–27 roster is posted, so this page reads it; the conference comparison uses 2025–26, the newest season every program has on file. · Stats: 2025–26, the last season played — the 2026–27 season has no games yet. · New this season: players not listed on the 2025–26 roster; a newcomer who is not a freshman counts as a transfer addition · Ratings: KenPom, five seasons; conference finish computed among same-conference teams by rating · Openings: Depth Chart's roster projection from listed class years; confidence stated per year · Sample: among players who made a college roster — the data cannot see who didn't. Among players who made a college roster. Model judgments describe positions and cohorts, never a named player's future. Refreshed automatically when the rosters change. Corrections: research@mydepthchart.com.

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