Sports

Men’s basketball sets up no fly zone at the Stu

Malachi Keys, Contributing Writer VCU routed the University of Dayton with a score of 99-73 in an electric atmosphere at the Stu this snowy Friday night. Riding a six game winning streak, the Rams were looking to continue their momentum against a formidable Atlantic 10 opponent in the Flyers.  The cold outside did not stop the Black and Gold from heating up early offensively, jumping out to a quick 11-5 lead. Additionally early in the first half, the Rams stifled the Flyers on the defensive end of the floor.  Although shot blocking is not considered VCU’s expertise, the Rams had four blocks collectively in the first 10 minutes of gameplay; three of them coming from third-year forward Lazar Djokovic. “We were adjusting our defense a little bit, so I was allowed to drop back so I could wait for them to go up,” Djokovic said. “I got help, and guys were staying in place so I got to block shots.” On the offensive side of the court, the Rams were hot.  Redshirt fourth-year guard Jadrian Tracey and second-year guard Terrence Hill Jr. were a big help on the offensive end with 12 and 11 points in the first half respectively. 

Men’s tennis swats Richmond to open A-10 play

Ben Martindale, Staff Writer VCU men’s tennis took the court against the University of Richmond on Friday.  The matchup followed a narrow defeat to East Tennessee State University. The Rams started their 2026 campaign with an even two wins and two losses. VCU second-years Nicolo Consonni and Gervog Mnatsakanyan won their doubles match 6-3 to get VCU rolling. Shortly after, VCU second-years Erwann Bouchet and Mats Bredschneijder won 6-3 to give the Rams their first point of the match and a 1-0 lead. The third doubles match was not finished as the Rams had already won the point, but VCU second-years Kostiantyn Mantach and Leon Zaorski put together a good performance. They were leading their match 5-4 by the time it ended. VCU carried its momentum into singles play as Mnatsakanyan beat Richmond second-year Otto Sewell in straight sets, extending the VCU lead to 2-0. Richmond second-year Charlie Burdell scored Richmond’s first point of the evening after beating Zaorski 6-4, 6-2. VCU bounced back, riding Bouchet’s straight set victory against Richmond third-year Paxton Pritchard to a 3-1 lead. On court one Consonni and Richmond fourth-year Davis Wiley slugged it out, going back and forth in a thrilling match that would

VCU women’s tennis extends winning streak with 7-0 win over Morgan State University

Tyrese Perkins, Contributing Writer  The Rams entered their fourth game of the 2025-26 season facing off against Morgan State University on Wednesday, Feb. 4.  VCU was the first team to win two out of three doubles to be awarded the first point of the match. In the first doubles set to conclude, VCU second-year Sara Alba and first-year Viktoria Lackova defeated Morgan State’s third-years Amira Bargaoui and Angelina Joao, 6-0. “Sara and I practice a lot of doubles together, so we know each other’s strengths and weaknesses the best,“ Lackova said. VCU second-years Andrea Magallanes and Sofia Jane Thorne won the second doubles match, beating Morgan State’s fourth-year Lauryn Hall and third-year Marta Serra Carles, 6-2. With the match going unfinished in the first set, VCU’s third-years Mariam Ibrahim and Elicia Kim were up 5-2, against Morgan State’s first-year Damla Arsian and second-year Tyler Williams. VCU third-year Elicia Kim debuted as a Ram, scoring VCU’s first point in the singles matchups after defeating Damla Arslan. Kim finished her first set 6-0 and second set 6-2. “I’m adjusting pretty great; Overall I love the team, the environment is great, I love the coaching staff, I’m loving it here,” Kim said.  Ibrahim

RVA-native baseball phenom Jacob Lee returns after record-breaking rookie year

Jenny Allen, Staff Writer  Second-year catcher Jacob Lee went beyond expectations during his debut collegiate season in 2025. He delivered unanticipated performances while setting records that will be hard to beat.  Lee began receiving his collegiate recognition during the 2025 preseason, during which he was ranked No. 2 among the Division 1 Baseball Preseason Atlantic 10 Impact Freshmen and No. 92 out of the D1 Baseball Preseason Top 100 Impact Freshmen.  Lee was then named Freshman All-America First Team by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association and Freshman All-American Second Team by Baseball America, D1 Baseball and Perfect Game.  The star catcher is a native of Chesterfield, Virginia, and is the first player in VCU Baseball history to be named to four Freshman All-American teams in one season, according to VCU Athletics. “His value; you probably couldn’t put a number on it,” Head Coach Sean Thompson said during a press conference. Lee has set standards high for the upcoming season after proving himself last year.  Lee was recently ranked No. 7 among the D1 Baseball Preseason Top 50 catchers in the 2026 preseason.  “Lee’s looked really good, I think this is some of the best he’s swung the bat since

FEB. 4 RECAP: How every VCU team did this week

Hayden Braun, Staff Writer  Drew Thompson, Sports Editor Men’s basketball vs. University of Richmond VCU jumped out early and held off a late rally to defeat Richmond 77-69 on Tuesday night at the Siegel Center. Five Rams scored in double figures, led by third-year forward Lazar Djokovic and second-year guard Terrence Hill Jr. with 14 points each, according to VCU Athletics.  Women’s basketball vs. Fordham University VCU had a dominant 69-58 win over Fordham on Wednesday at the Siegel Center behind balanced scoring and defensive pressure. Third-year forward Lucy Ghaifan had 14 points and seven rebounds while second-year guard Cyriah Griffin led the Rams all around with 11 points, eight rebounds and six assists as VCU controlled the game for most of the night.  Men’s tennis vs. DePaul University  The Rams escaped with a narrow 4-3 victory over the Blue Demons. The two teams were locked up at three in the singles matches, but a clean sweep from VCU in doubles paved the way for the win. Second-years Mats Bredschneijder and Erwann Bouchet won their doubles, with Bouchet also winning his singles. Second-year Gevorg Mnatsakanyan got the decisive win for VCU in his singles performance after a three set performance

Women’s basketball coach Beth O’Boyle ‘relieved of duties’ after 12 seasons

Drew Thompson, Sports Editor Alexis Washington, Assistant Sports Editor VCU women’s basketball head coach Beth O’Boyle was relieved of her duties at noon on Feb. 2. She will not coach the remainder of the season and will not return to VCU after the season, according to Evan Nicely, VCU Athletics associate athletic director for external affairs.  “We want to thank Coach O’Boyle for her service to VCU and her dedication to our student-athletes. We will not renew her contract and she will not coach the remainder of the season,” VCU Athletics director Ed McLaughlin said in a press release. “We wish her all the best in her future endeavors. We will begin a national search immediately.” The news came out following VCU’s Feb. 1 loss to the University of Richmond, 65-77, in the annual SupportHer game.  O’Boyle was hired as head coach in 2014 after serving as head coach for Stony Brook University. She holds the record for the most coaching victories in VCU basketball history. O’Boyle was the head coach for 12 seasons. She held an overall record of 191-168, won one Atlantic 10 tournament title in 2021 and reached the NCAA tournament that same year.  Despite holding the

Women’s basketball trapped by Richmond in third annual SupportHer game

Drew Thompson, Sports Editor VCU women’s basketball played its third annual SupportHer game against the University of Richmond on Feb. 1, ending with a 77-65 loss. The SupportHer game is an initiative to get the Richmond community more involved with women’s athletics at VCU. The game drew a crowd of over 5,000, something that the players and coaches want to become the norm.  “If we could have this type of crowd every game, we would play even better,” second-year forward Katarina Kneževic said. “That’s something that should be a standard for women’s basketball as we are all developing the sport.” The Spiders jumped out to a quick four-point lead before the Rams found themselves on the board off a jumper from first-year guard Daija Preston.  Richmond stayed in front for the opening five minutes primarily through its efforts to get to the free throw line, as both teams looked streaky from the field.  Both teams began to find their stride after the Rams brought the game to 10-10. VCU made four straight field goals while Richmond went four for five in the same stretch. The Spiders continued to hold the lead but the Rams would not back down easily.  A

Men’s basketball sets up no fly zone at the Stu

Malachi Keys, Contributing Writer VCU routed the University of Dayton with a score of 99-73 in an electric atmosphere at the Stu this snowy Friday night. Riding a six game winning streak, the Rams were looking to continue their momentum against a formidable Atlantic 10 opponent in the Flyers.  The cold outside did not stop the Black and Gold from heating up early offensively, jumping out to a quick 11-5 lead. Additionally early in the first half, the Rams stifled the Flyers on the defensive end of the floor.  Although shot blocking is not considered VCU’s expertise, the Rams had four blocks collectively in the first 10 minutes of gameplay; three of them coming from third-year forward Lazar Djokovic. “We were adjusting our defense a little bit, so I was allowed to drop back so I could wait for them to go up,” Djokovic said. “I got help, and guys were staying in place so I got to block shots.” On the offensive side of the court, the Rams were hot.  Redshirt fourth-year guard Jadrian Tracey and second-year guard Terrence Hill Jr. were a big help on the offensive end with 12 and 11 points in the first half respectively.  Tracey would finish the game with a game-high and season-high 26 points; the most points scored by a Ram in a game this year.  “We were definitely trying to expose a few mismatches,” Tracey said. “We were aggressive on the rim. We were aggressive on offense and defense and it helped us out a lot. We did a great job of moving the ball tonight.” Tracey would also add three rebounds and two assists to the stat sheet.  10 minutes into the game VCU was leading by just one point — 19-18, but by halftime it was up 50-27.  Coming out of halftime, it was more of the same for the Black and Gold. The Rams pushed the lead to 35 points eight minutes into the second half.  VCU continued to be aggressive on defense forcing 16 turnovers from the Flyers. These turnovers helped contribute to fast breaks, scoring 30 points off of them.  Both teams were effective in pounding the paint leading to a considerable amount of free throws attempted — 68 total for both teams combined. The difference though was that VCU shot 81.6% from the stripe while Dayton shot only 60%. VCU also got help from its

Men’s tennis swats Richmond to open A-10 play

Ben Martindale, Staff Writer VCU men’s tennis took the court against the University of Richmond on Friday.  The matchup followed a narrow defeat to East Tennessee State University. The Rams started their 2026 campaign with an even two wins and two losses. VCU second-years Nicolo Consonni and Gervog Mnatsakanyan won their doubles match 6-3 to get VCU rolling. Shortly after, VCU second-years Erwann Bouchet and Mats Bredschneijder won 6-3 to give the Rams their first point of the match and a 1-0 lead. The third doubles match was not finished as the Rams had already won the point, but VCU second-years Kostiantyn Mantach and Leon Zaorski put together a good performance. They were leading their match 5-4 by the time it ended. VCU carried its momentum into singles play as Mnatsakanyan beat Richmond second-year Otto Sewell in straight sets, extending the VCU lead to 2-0. Richmond second-year Charlie Burdell scored Richmond’s first point of the evening after beating Zaorski 6-4, 6-2. VCU bounced back, riding Bouchet’s straight set victory against Richmond third-year Paxton Pritchard to a 3-1 lead. On court one Consonni and Richmond fourth-year Davis Wiley slugged it out, going back and forth in a thrilling match that would

VCU women’s tennis extends winning streak with 7-0 win over Morgan State University

Tyrese Perkins, Contributing Writer  The Rams entered their fourth game of the 2025-26 season facing off against Morgan State University on Wednesday, Feb. 4.  VCU was the first team to win two out of three doubles to be awarded the first point of the match. In the first doubles set to conclude, VCU second-year Sara Alba and first-year Viktoria Lackova defeated Morgan State’s third-years Amira Bargaoui and Angelina Joao, 6-0. “Sara and I practice a lot of doubles together, so we know each other’s strengths and weaknesses the best,“ Lackova said. VCU second-years Andrea Magallanes and Sofia Jane Thorne won the second doubles match, beating Morgan State’s fourth-year Lauryn Hall and third-year Marta Serra Carles, 6-2. With the match going unfinished in the first set, VCU’s third-years Mariam Ibrahim and Elicia Kim were up 5-2, against Morgan State’s first-year Damla Arsian and second-year Tyler Williams. VCU third-year Elicia Kim debuted as a Ram, scoring VCU’s first point in the singles matchups after defeating Damla Arslan. Kim finished her first set 6-0 and second set 6-2. “I’m adjusting pretty great; Overall I love the team, the environment is great, I love the coaching staff, I’m loving it here,” Kim said.  Ibrahim

RVA-native baseball phenom Jacob Lee returns after record-breaking rookie year

Jenny Allen, Staff Writer  Second-year catcher Jacob Lee went beyond expectations during his debut collegiate season in 2025. He delivered unanticipated performances while setting records that will be hard to beat.  Lee began receiving his collegiate recognition during the 2025 preseason, during which he was ranked No. 2 among the Division 1 Baseball Preseason Atlantic 10 Impact Freshmen and No. 92 out of the D1 Baseball Preseason Top 100 Impact Freshmen.  Lee was then named Freshman All-America First Team by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association and Freshman All-American Second Team by Baseball America, D1 Baseball and Perfect Game.  The star catcher is a native of Chesterfield, Virginia, and is the first player in VCU Baseball history to be named to four Freshman All-American teams in one season, according to VCU Athletics. “His value; you probably couldn’t put a number on it,” Head Coach Sean Thompson said during a press conference. Lee has set standards high for the upcoming season after proving himself last year.  Lee was recently ranked No. 7 among the D1 Baseball Preseason Top 50 catchers in the 2026 preseason.  “Lee’s looked really good, I think this is some of the best he’s swung the bat since

FEB. 4 RECAP: How every VCU team did this week

Hayden Braun, Staff Writer  Drew Thompson, Sports Editor Men’s basketball vs. University of Richmond VCU jumped out early and held off a late rally to defeat Richmond 77-69 on Tuesday night at the Siegel Center. Five Rams scored in double figures, led by third-year forward Lazar Djokovic and second-year guard Terrence Hill Jr. with 14 points each, according to VCU Athletics.  Women’s basketball vs. Fordham University VCU had a dominant 69-58 win over Fordham on Wednesday at the Siegel Center behind balanced scoring and defensive pressure. Third-year forward Lucy Ghaifan had 14 points and seven rebounds while second-year guard Cyriah Griffin led the Rams all around with 11 points, eight rebounds and six assists as VCU controlled the game for most of the night.  Men’s tennis vs. DePaul University  The Rams escaped with a narrow 4-3 victory over the Blue Demons. The two teams were locked up at three in the singles matches, but a clean sweep from VCU in doubles paved the way for the win. Second-years Mats Bredschneijder and Erwann Bouchet won their doubles, with Bouchet also winning his singles. Second-year Gevorg Mnatsakanyan got the decisive win for VCU in his singles performance after a three set performance

Women’s basketball coach Beth O’Boyle ‘relieved of duties’ after 12 seasons

Drew Thompson, Sports Editor Alexis Washington, Assistant Sports Editor VCU women’s basketball head coach Beth O’Boyle was relieved of her duties at noon on Feb. 2. She will not coach the remainder of the season and will not return to VCU after the season, according to Evan Nicely, VCU Athletics associate athletic director for external affairs.  “We want to thank Coach O’Boyle for her service to VCU and her dedication to our student-athletes. We will not renew her contract and she will not coach the remainder of the season,” VCU Athletics director Ed McLaughlin said in a press release. “We wish her all the best in her future endeavors. We will begin a national search immediately.” The news came out following VCU’s Feb. 1 loss to the University of Richmond, 65-77, in the annual SupportHer game.  O’Boyle was hired as head coach in 2014 after serving as head coach for Stony Brook University. She holds the record for the most coaching victories in VCU basketball history. O’Boyle was the head coach for 12 seasons. She held an overall record of 191-168, won one Atlantic 10 tournament title in 2021 and reached the NCAA tournament that same year.  Despite holding the

Women’s basketball trapped by Richmond in third annual SupportHer game

Drew Thompson, Sports Editor VCU women’s basketball played its third annual SupportHer game against the University of Richmond on Feb. 1, ending with a 77-65 loss. The SupportHer game is an initiative to get the Richmond community more involved with women’s athletics at VCU. The game drew a crowd of over 5,000, something that the players and coaches want to become the norm.  “If we could have this type of crowd every game, we would play even better,” second-year forward Katarina Kneževic said. “That’s something that should be a standard for women’s basketball as we are all developing the sport.” The Spiders jumped out to a quick four-point lead before the Rams found themselves on the board off a jumper from first-year guard Daija Preston.  Richmond stayed in front for the opening five minutes primarily through its efforts to get to the free throw line, as both teams looked streaky from the field.  Both teams began to find their stride after the Rams brought the game to 10-10. VCU made four straight field goals while Richmond went four for five in the same stretch. The Spiders continued to hold the lead but the Rams would not back down easily.  A

FEB. 4 RECAP: How every VCU team did this week

Hayden Braun, Staff Writer  Drew Thompson, Sports Editor Men’s basketball vs. University of Richmond VCU jumped out early and held off a late rally to defeat Richmond 77-69 on Tuesday night at the Siegel Center. Five Rams scored in double figures, led by third-year forward Lazar Djokovic and second-year guard Terrence Hill Jr. with 14 points each, according to VCU Athletics.  Women’s basketball vs. Fordham University VCU had a dominant 69-58 win over Fordham on Wednesday at the Siegel Center behind balanced scoring and defensive pressure. Third-year forward Lucy Ghaifan had 14 points and seven rebounds while second-year guard Cyriah Griffin led the Rams all around with 11 points, eight rebounds and six assists as VCU controlled the game for most of the night.  Men’s tennis vs. DePaul University  The Rams escaped with a narrow 4-3 victory over the Blue Demons. The two teams were locked up at three in the singles matches, but a clean sweep from VCU in doubles paved the way for the win. Second-years Mats Bredschneijder and Erwann Bouchet won their doubles, with Bouchet also winning his singles. Second-year Gevorg Mnatsakanyan got the decisive win for VCU in his singles performance after a three set performance

Women’s basketball coach Beth O’Boyle ‘relieved of duties’ after 12 seasons

Drew Thompson, Sports Editor Alexis Washington, Assistant Sports Editor VCU women’s basketball head coach Beth O’Boyle was relieved of her duties at noon on Feb. 2. She will not coach the remainder of the season and will not return to VCU after the season, according to Evan Nicely, VCU Athletics associate athletic director for external affairs.  “We want to thank Coach O’Boyle for her service to VCU and her dedication to our student-athletes. We will not renew her contract and she will not coach the remainder of the season,” VCU Athletics director Ed McLaughlin said in a press release. “We wish her all the best in her future endeavors. We will begin a national search immediately.” The news came out following VCU’s Feb. 1 loss to the University of Richmond, 65-77, in the annual SupportHer game.  O’Boyle was hired as head coach in 2014 after serving as head coach for Stony Brook University. She holds the record for the most coaching victories in VCU basketball history. O’Boyle was the head coach for 12 seasons. She held an overall record of 191-168, won one Atlantic 10 tournament title in 2021 and reached the NCAA tournament that same year.  Despite holding the

Women’s basketball trapped by Richmond in third annual SupportHer game

Drew Thompson, Sports Editor VCU women’s basketball played its third annual SupportHer game against the University of Richmond on Feb. 1, ending with a 77-65 loss. The SupportHer game is an initiative to get the Richmond community more involved with women’s athletics at VCU. The game drew a crowd of over 5,000, something that the players and coaches want to become the norm.  “If we could have this type of crowd every game, we would play even better,” second-year forward Katarina Kneževic said. “That’s something that should be a standard for women’s basketball as we are all developing the sport.” The Spiders jumped out to a quick four-point lead before the Rams found themselves on the board off a jumper from first-year guard Daija Preston.  Richmond stayed in front for the opening five minutes primarily through its efforts to get to the free throw line, as both teams looked streaky from the field.  Both teams began to find their stride after the Rams brought the game to 10-10. VCU made four straight field goals while Richmond went four for five in the same stretch. The Spiders continued to hold the lead but the Rams would not back down easily.  A

Men’s basketball fights back against Loyola after a slow start, wins 89-75

Assistant Sports Editor, Alexis Washington VCU men’s basketball entered its matchup against Loyola Chicago with a four-game winning streak on Friday night at the Siegel Center. The Rams came off a big win against cross town rival the University of Richmond on Tuesday, following a road victory against Davidson College on Jan. 24. VCU won the tip-off but immediately turned the ball over and remained scoreless for four minutes. Loyola came in hot with third-year center Miles Rubin driving the ball to the basket.  The Ramblers offense became untouchable going on an 8-0 run, forcing VCU to go into a time out. Third-year forward Michael Belle put up the first points for the Rams with a free throw. The Ramblers responded with an alleyoop dunk from Rubin. Both teams played at a fast, aggressive pace, trading baskets throughout the stretch. Rams second-year guard Terrence Hill Jr. shot a deep three and Ramblers answered back with a three of their own from third-year guard Justin Moore. In an effort to put more points on the board, VCU found its rhythm. Belle sparked the run with a three pointer off a turnover at the ten-minute mark.  The momentum continued as VCU fourth-year

Women’s basketball gets much needed home win against Fordham 69-58

Ben Martindale, Staff Writer VCU women’s basketball took the Siegel Center Wednesday as Richmond defrosts after a winter storm. Despite the icy conditions outside, the stands were scattered with a dedicated group of faithful Ram fans. After the game, VCU head coach Beth O’Boyle took the time to thank the fans who showed up to support the team. “Thank you for coming out on this snowy, icy day to support us,” O’Boyle said. “It always means so much to our players and we really appreciate it.” Fordham University won the tip, but VCU showed its heart early — taking a charge and forcing a turnover on the first possession of the game. Almost three minutes into the game both teams remained scoreless as they attempted to find a way past the other squads defense. Second-year guard Cyriah Griffin got VCU on the board first, hitting a ball fake that would have made former NBA guard Rajon Rondo proud, before spinning and finishing the layup. Griffin has been good for VCU all season, but has really stepped her play lately, scoring in double figures in three of her last four appearances. Second-year forward Katarina Knežević scored her first points of the

Men’s basketball scrapes out win against Spiders in Capital City Classic

Tyrese Perkins, Contributing Writer While Richmond was frozen over, VCU faced its crosstown archrival, the University of Richmond Spiders at the Siegel Center Tuesday night, marking the 33rd matchup between the two programs. VCU now holds a 24-9 lead all time. VCU built off its three-game winning streak and recent on-the-road win against the Davidson College Wildcats on Jan. 24. VCU won the tip-off and second-year guard Brandon Jennings scored the opening bucket. It was followed by a dunk from third-year forward Lazar Djokovic — starting the game 4-0. However, Richmond’s fifth-year guard AJ Lopez responded with a top-of-the-key three-pointer, silencing the crowd. Capitalizing off of the Spiders’ missed shots, the Rams’ redshirt fourth-year guard Jadrian Tracey knocked down back-to-back three-pointers. VCU gained a 12-5 lead just three minutes into the opening half. Richmond quickly responded with a 6-0 run as it scored around the rim. VCU second-year guard Terrence Hill Jr. scored a 17-footer.  On the next possession, Djokovic stole the ball from Richmond third-year forward Jaden Daughtry, and in the fast break he passed it to Hill, who threw up an alley-oop to third-year guard Tyrell Ward. The Rams stayed in the lead throughout the half. Djokovic scored

SCOUTING REPORT: VCU men’s basketball vs. Loyola Chicago

VCU men’s basketball will take on Atlantic 10 opponent Loyola University Chicago at the Siegel Center on Jan. 30 at 9 p.m.  The CT sports staff chose their notable players for the matchup.  VCU Alexis Washington, Assistant Sports Editor Michael Belle — Belle is what you call a versatile two-way player. He can not only score in the paint, but also impact the game defensively, using his size and athleticism to guard multiple positions. Standing at 6-foot-8-inches, this third-year forward continues to prove why he should remain on the court. Belle helped lead the Rams to victory against St. Joseph’s University on Jan. 19, recording a career-high of 20 points, three steals and tied his best with two blocks. He has been with the Rams all of his collegiate career and improves each year. He averages 7.4 points and 4.5 rebounds this season. If Loyola wants to climb up the ladder in the A-10 rankings and win, it must make Belle work for every touch and shut off his scoring lanes.   Saanvi Vootla, Contributing Writer Lazar Djokovic — Djokovic has quietly emerged as one of VCU’s most reliable and impactful frontcourt pieces, making him a key player to watch in

Nov. 19 recap: How every VCU team did this week

Jenny Allen, Staff Writer  Men’s basketball vs. St. Peter’s University The Rams hosted and defeated the Peacocks 78-61. In the opening stretch, possession and scoring