PITTSBURGH, Pa. – Defending Atlantic 10 Conference Champion VCU has reloaded, and it hasn't gone unnoticed. The Rams were picked first in the A-10 Preseason Poll by league coaches and media members, the conference announced Tuesday at its annual media day at PPG Paints Arena.
 
VCU collected 11 first-place votes and 342 points to edge Saint Louis (341) and Dayton (321). The Billikens also received 11 first-place nods, while the Flyers grabbed three. George Washington (296), Loyola Chicago (286) and George Mason (254) rounded out the top six.
 
The Rams, led by first-year Head Coach Phil Martelli Jr., welcome nine newcomers in 2025-26, including seven transfers. VCU has captured two of the past three A-10 titles.
 
Additionally, a quintet of Rams earned preseason All-Atlantic 10 awards. Seniors Barry Evans (Baltimore, Md.) and Jadrian Tracey (Fort Myers, Fla.), as well as junior Tyrell Ward (Washington, D.C.) were named Second Team, while sophomore Ahmad Nowell (Philadelphia, Pa.) was selected Third Team. Sophomore Brandon Jennings (Richmond, Va.) landed a spot on the league's preseason All-Defensive Team.
 
Evans was one of two players to follow Martelli from Bryant, where he enjoyed a breakout junior campaign. A 6-foot-8 forward, Evans averaged 13.3 points, 6.8 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game last season to lead the Bulldogs to a conference title and an NCAA Tournament berth. For his efforts, Evans was named America East Newcomer of the Year. The Baltimore, Md. native previously spent two seasons at St. Bonaventure.
 
Tracey joins the Rams in 2025-26 after helping Oregon to back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances. The 6-6 guard, who began his collegiate career at Saint Joseph's, averaged 6.9 points and 2.8 rebounds for the Ducks in 2024-25. In 2023-24, Tracey started 22 games and supplied 7.6 points and 3.6 rebounds for a 24-win Oregon squad.
 
Ward enjoyed a pair of standout seasons at LSU from 2022-24. He did not play last season. As a sophomore in 2023-24, the 6-6 Ward averaged 9.1 points and 2.3 rebounds per game, while shooting .413 (52-of-126) from 3-point range for the Tigers.
 
Nowell arrived in Richmond this summer following one season at UConn. The highly touted point guard missed time with a shoulder injury last year, but saw action in 18 games and averaged 1.5 points and 1.1 assists. Nowell was ranked No. 30 in ESPN's top 100 recruits for the class of 2024 and initially committed to UConn over offers from Kansas, Kentucky, Tennessee, Auburn, St. John's and others.
 
A 6-4 guard, Jennings is one of five members of VCU's 2025 A-10 Championship team set to return in 2025-26. Despite a roster of fifth-year guards, Jennings carved out a vital role in VCU's rotation as a freshman in 2024-25. He appeared in all 35 games for the Black and Gold and averaged 2.7 points and 2.3 rebounds, while shooting .393 (11-of-28) from 3-point range. Defensively, Jennings racked up 19 steals and blocked 12 shots.
 
VCU will open with exhibitions at Villanova (Oct. 19) and against Fairfield (Oct. 26) before officially kicking off the 2025-26 campaign on Monday, Nov. 3, when the Rams host Wagner at the Stuart C. Siegel Center. VCU season and single-game tickets, as well as mini-plan options, are on sale now at vcutickets.evenue.net/list/MBK.
 
2025 Atlantic 10 Conference Preseason Poll
#-School                                                  Pts.
1-VCU (11)                                               342
2-Saint Louis (11)                                     341
3-Dayton (3)                                            321
4-George Washington                             296
5-Loyola Chicago (2)                                286
6-George Mason                                      254
7-Saint Joseph's                                       195
8-St. Bonaventure                                   185
9-Duquesne                                             155
10-Richmond                                           142
11-Davidson                                            107
12-Rhode Island                                      102
13-La Salle                                               56
14-Fordham                                             53
First place votes in parenthesis