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APRIL 22 RECAP: How every VCU team did this week

April 22, 2026

VCU welcomes one of highest ranked recruiting classes in program history

April 22, 2026

Ben Martindale, Staff Writer In 2025, VCU head men’s basketball coach Phil Martelli Jr. started his tenure with the Rams by bringing in the No. 46 ranked recruiting class in the country. Now, following a successful first season, Martelli and his staff welcome an exciting group of fresh faces to the fold. Ranked No. 29 in the nation according to Rivals, this year’s incoming class is one to look out for. Incoming transfers Blake Harper Blake Harper is a 6-foot-7-inch third-year guard with huge upside. In his first year, playing at Howard University, he became the first Mid-Easter Athletic Conference player to win rookie of the year and player of the year in the same season. Harper is a proven scorer, averaging just shy of 20 points per game at Howard, making him a welcome addition to an already talented Rams backcourt. The third-year guard is coming off of a less productive season at Creighton University in which he averaged 7.7 points per game. Torey Alston Torey Alston is a third-year forward who boasts a lengthy 6-foot-8-inch frame and has exciting two-way potential. Alston averaged an impressive 13 points and eight rebounds last season at Middle Tennessee State. His highlight

The ins and outs of VCU women’s basketball after the transfer portal

April 22, 2026

Jenny Allen, Staff Writer New VCU women’s basketball head coach Chelsea Banbury joined the Rams just in time to begin recruiting for the transfer portal — which opened on April 6 and remained open until April 20. After ending the 2025-2026 season with an unfortunate 8-23 record, Rams key fourth-year redshirt guard Mary-Anna Asare entered the portal, according to The IX Sports. Asare is looking for a final season elsewhere after being approved for a medical redshirt. Despite Asare’s injury last season, her prior performances proved her crucial contributions on offense and defense. During Asare’s third year, she was named to the All-Atlantic 10 Second team and led the Rams with 16.0 points per game, scoring double digits in 25 out of 30 games played, according to VCU Athletics. Her skills went beyond scoring as she averaged 4.2 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.7 steals per game. The day of the portal’s closing, Asare announced her official commitment to the University of Virginia where she will complete her final year of eligibility. The loss of Asare is significant to the Rams, however their prior season without her gave them the opportunity to excel on their own. The 6-foot-7-inch redshirt third-year forward

VCU’s lead scorer Terrence Hill Jr. commits to Tennessee

April 21, 2026

Alexis Washington, Assistant Sports Editor Second-year guard Terrence Hill Jr. announced his commitment to the University of Tennessee on Sunday, following an impressive season with VCU that helped lead the program to an NCAA Tournament win. “I see myself scoring a lot, play-making a lot, whether that’s being at the one or being at the two,” Hill said in an interview with 247sports after committing to Tennessee. “But primarily going forward, I think for me to get to that next level is going to be me at that point guard spot.” Hill was among the top 10 players in the portal, according to draftxpress, catching the interest of teams like the University of Oregon, Louisiana State University and the University of Kansas. Hill averaged 15 points per game and 2.8 assists — both team highs for the Rams — shooting 46.6% from the field and 37% from three. Hill quickly became a household name for the Rams following a 82-78 victory over No. 6 University of North Carolina in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, drawing national attention. VCU trailed by 19 but stormed back to force overtime fueled by Hill’s performance. He finished with 34 points off the

Baseball falls short against GW; loses weekend series

April 17, 2026

Drew Thompson, Sports Editor The Rams got swept in the weekend series to George Washington University, losing 4-3, 8-7 and getting dominated 9-3 in game three. Graduate student pitcher Everett Vaughn was credited with the game three loss after 1.2 innings pitched, four hits, three earned runs, four walks and a strikeout. Third-year infielder Trent Adelman and redshirt first-year infielder Alec Warden both had the only multi-hit performances for the Rams in the game three loss. Third-year infielder Nate Kirkpatrick and redshirt third-year utility Quinn Maher both had good games despite the game two loss. Maher drove in a career-high four runs. Redshirt fourth-year pitcher Patrick Stietz started game one strong for the Rams, but the game broke open after he was relieved. VCU lost 4-3 to GW on Friday to start a three game series, falling back to earth after its upset win over the University of Virginia earlier this week. Neither team made much of an impact in the first inning, with both sides failing to get a hit. VCU cruised through the top of the second despite redshirt fourth-year pitcher Elias Holbert hitting two batters. The Rams started the bottom of the second with a lead-off double

Women’s tennis dominates Duquesne through injuries and intense heat

April 16, 2026

Benney Koch, Contributing Writer VCU dominated the nationally ranked, No. 67 Duquesne University on Thursday, winning 4-0. A strong doubles performance gave the Rams the momentum needed to secure a team victory in the singles. VCU second-years Andrea Magallanes and Sofia Jane Thorne took over. The pair quickly found rhythm and built a commanding lead behind strong coordination at the net. Magallanes’ long-range shots created openings, while Jane Thorne consistently closed points at the net, helping the duo finish with a 6-2 win. VCU third-years Tan Andrade Sabando and Mariam Ibrahim got their second doubles victory with a match score of 6-3. Sabando and Ibrahim secured an early lead and maintained pressure by forcing errors from their opponents. Ibrahim’s well-timed feints and Sabando’s aggressive returns sealed the result. The Rams’ second-year Sara Alba and first-year Viktoria Lackova had a difficult match. They fell behind early and battled hard, but weren’t able to recover before VCU secured the doubles point. VCU entered the singles stage needing only two winning matches for the team victory, as Duquesne was short a player. Ibrahim won a tight first set, but the match ended early in the second after building up a 5-1 lead. VCU

APRIL 15 RECAP: How every VCU team did this week

April 15, 2026

Ben Martindale, Staff Writer Men’s tennis vs. Liberty University VCU men’s tennis suffered a tough 6-1 homecourt defeat at the hands of No. 60 ranked Liberty. The Rams were competitive early, but eventually dropped the doubles point to fall behind 1-0. Despite multiple competitive three set matches, VCU could not string together enough momentum to turn the tide. The Rams’ lone point came from second-year Erwann Bouchet, who won his match 4-6, 6-2, 6-1. Men’s track at Duke University, University of South Florida and University of Mount Olive VCU men’s track and field had a historic weekend, breaking the school triple jump record twice in the same meet. Third-year Isaiah-Taji Kargbo-Owens broke the record first with a score of 15.64 meters. Fourth-year Philip Daniel then broke his record with a score of 15.73 meters. In the 400 meter dash third-year Jude Okafor clocked in a time of 46.96, the second fastest time in VCU program history. Women’s track at Duke University, University of South Florida and University of Mount Olive VCU women’s track and field had an incredible meet with three athletes finishing top three in program history in their respective events. Fourth-year Sydney Carr finished second in program history

APRIL 22 RECAP: How every VCU team did this week

April 22, 2026

Hayden Braun, Staff Writer Drew Thompson, Sports Editor Men’s golf at Mountaineer Invitational VCU men’s golf competed at the Mountaineer Invitational in Bridgeport, West Virginia, finishing 14th out of 19 teams. The Rams faced a strong field that included multiple top-40 programs, with No. 36 Clemson taking the team title. Fifth-year Mason Minkel led VCU finishing tied for 26th at +3. Minkel shot rounds of 74-75-70 and was one of three Rams to record 10 birdies during the tournament. The Rams will now turn their attention to the Atlantic 10 Championships, set for April 27–29 in Orlando, Florida. Women’s tennis vs. Duquesne University VCU women’s tennis delivered a dominant performance at home, sweeping Duquesne 4-0 in A-10 play at the Thalhimer Tennis Center. The Rams controlled the match from the start, securing the doubles point before carrying that momentum into singles competition. VCU continued its strong play in singles, winning three straight matches to clinch the victory. The Rams did not allow the Dukes to score a single point in the match. The Rams will continue in A-10 play heading toward the final stretch of the regular season. Men’s tennis vs. Duquesne University VCU men’s tennis continued its strong performances in conference play with a 4-1 win over Duquesne, remaining undefeated in A-10 competition. The Rams set the tone early by securing the doubles point, taking control of the match from the start. VCU carried that momentum into singles play, winning three matches to clinch the victory. The Rams limited Duquesne to just one point throughout the afternoon. The win keeps VCU perfect in A-10 play as the Rams continue to build momentum heading into the final stretch of the regular season. Women’s tennis vs. Saint Joseph’s University The Rams pulled off the 4-0 sweep against the Hawks in their regular season finale. VCU quickly won the doubles point with two consecutive wins and a third unfinished match that it was similarly ahead in. The singles sets were much of the same, with the Rams gaining three quick wins and leaving the other matches unfinished. Second-year Sofia Jane Thorne had a dominant performance in both the doubles and singles sets, leading the way for the Rams win. VCU is going into the A-10 tournament with a perfect 5-0 against conference opponents. Men’s tennis vs. Saint Joseph’s University Men’s tennis matched the efforts of the women’s team with a similar 4-0

VCU welcomes one of highest ranked recruiting classes in program history

April 22, 2026

The ins and outs of VCU women’s basketball after the transfer portal

April 22, 2026

VCU’s lead scorer Terrence Hill Jr. commits to Tennessee

April 21, 2026

Baseball falls short against GW; loses weekend series

Sports Editor April 17, 2026

Women’s tennis dominates Duquesne through injuries and intense heat

Executive Editor April 16, 2026

APRIL 15 RECAP: How every VCU team did this week

Sports Editor April 15, 2026

Baseball falls short against GW; loses weekend series

April 17, 2026

Women’s tennis dominates Duquesne through injuries and intense heat

April 16, 2026

APRIL 15 RECAP: How every VCU team did this week

April 15, 2026

Richmond swordfighter ranks among world’s best

April 15, 2026

Benney Koch, Contributing Writer On a tennis court in Richmond, athletes gather with heavy bags of gear to clash with their blades. Donning great masks and thick gloves, fencers tap their swords before engaging with one another in quick combat. In an instant, one fighter strikes another, and they ready themselves to go at it again. It looks like something out of a historical or fantasy film, but for Zach Showalter, it is the result of nearly a decade of disciplined training. Showalter, founder of the Scuffletown Fetterfechters, is currently ranked No. 10 in the world at longsword in Historical European Martial Arts, or HEMA. What began as curiosity after watching an online video has grown into a competitive career and a central role in shaping Richmond’s expanding HEMA scene. “I thought it was the coolest thing,” Showalter said. “I was like, I have to do this.” HEMA is a martial art practiced through historical European fighting systems. Athletes read centuries-old manuals to adapt them into a modern, historically researched sport where they can compete against one another. While HEMA is sometimes mistaken for LARPing — live action role playing — or Olympic fencing, the historical aspect and study balances

Do VCU students actually care about men’s basketball?

April 15, 2026

Bryer Haywood, Staff Writer Ben Martindale, Staff Writer Drew Thompson, Sports Editor VCU men’s basketball garnered national attention for its historic performance in this year’s March Madness. Their comeback against the University of North Carolina was the largest in first round NCAA Tournament history. Men’s basketball is undeniably the premier attraction for VCU Athletics, and it receives the funding to back it up. VCU Athletics Director Ed McLaughlin promised to devote $4-5 million to pay men’s basketball players last year. With the success of the team this past season, that number is only slated to increase. The team is also already revered by the Richmond community, with home games averaging a sell out of 7,614 people. Even for away games, thousands of people show up to support the Rams. Official statistics from VCU Athletics show that 14,178 Rams fans went to the second round game against the University of Illinois. Though the Rams ultimately lost that game by 21 points, the fervor for the team has not diminished. However, while the community travels in droves to support the Rams, the student section tends to remain the emptiest come the opening whistle. VCU is home to over 29,000 students, but the

What women’s basketball fans can expect from Banbury

April 15, 2026

Jenny Allen, Staff Writer Drew Thompson, Sports Editor Chelsea Banbury was announced as the new VCU women’s basketball head coach after a challenging 2025-2026 season. Banbury was hired from High Point University and is the 14th head coach in VCU women’s basketball history. The Rams ended last season with an 8-23 overall record after head coach Beth O’Boyle was dismissed from her position midway through the season. VCU former assistant coach Kirk Crawford filled the role as interim head coach for the remainder of the season. After Crawford took on the role as head coach, the team did not see another win the rest of the season. The Rams were hindered by coaching changes and injuries to key players as they crawled past the finish line. Banbury is looking to revitalize the team after her seven successful seasons at HPU. She did not have a single losing season during her time at High Point, with an overall record of 140-79. Banbury held a win percentage of 64%, compared to O’Boyle who held an overall win percentage of 53% during her VCU tenure. Prior to O’Boyle’s dismissal, the Rams were lower in nearly every statistical category from Banbury’s Panthers. Banbury and

VCU baseball pummels No. 9 Virginia 6-2

April 14, 2026

Hayden Braun, Staff Writer VCU baseball put together one of its most complete performances of the season Tuesday night, defeating the No. 9-ranked University of Virginia 6-2 to secure its first win in the rivalry since 2022. The Cavaliers struck immediately — third-year outfielder AJ Gracia opened the game with a leadoff home run in the top of the first to give the Cavaliers a 1-0 lead. However, VCU responded quickly, chipping away slowly before breaking the game open late. The Rams tied it in the second inning when third-year infielder/outfielder Trent Adelman delivered an RBI single to score third-year infielder Nate Kirkpatrick. Adelman later added another key hit in the sixth, finishing with multiple hits and RBI’s. “It all just started by my teammates. They set me up well,” Adelman said. “Not trying to do too much, just staying calm.” VCU took control in the third inning after loading the bases with no outs. A wild pitch brought in the go-ahead run, and a sacrifice groundout from graduate student catcher Teige Lethert extended the lead to 3-1. While the offense began to find rhythm, the pitching staff delivered in high-pressure moments. Virginia totaled 11 hits but left 14 runners