ROSTER BREAKDOWN (As of 5/5/26)
Players Returning/Lost: 7/7
Starters Returning/Lost: 3/2
Newcomers: 6 (3 transfers, 3 freshmen)
NEWCOMERS (6)
PLAYER NAME l Position l 2026-27 Eligibility l Previous School
BLAKE HARPER l Guard/Forward l Junior l Creighton
Notable: Averaged 7.7 ppg, 3.6 rpg and shot .364 (20-of-55) from 3-point range in 2025-26 at Creighton… Started 14 of 34 games for the Blue Jays… 2024-25 MEAC Player of the Year and Rookie of the Year at Howard… Averaged 19.5 ppg, 6.2 rpg, 3.4 apg as a freshman at Howard.
Coach Martelli on Harper: "Blake is a versatile lefty wing. He has proven to be a high-level scorer while also showing his ability to facilitate."
TOREY ALSTON l Forward l R-Junior l Middle Tennesse State
Notable: Averaged 13.1 ppg, 7.9 rpg, 1.1 bpg at MTSU in 2025-26… Started all 32 games and shot .555 from the floor… Recorded nine double-doubles last season and owns 11 in his collegiate career... Topped 20 points five times last season, including a career-high 26 versus Murray State... Has blocked 69 shots in two seasons (1.0 bpg).
Coach Martelli on Alston: "Torey is a dynamic forward with a tremendous motor. He has a rapidly developing skill set to go along with a tenacity and nose for the ball."
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NYLE RALPH-BEYER l Guard l Junior l Sacred Heart
Notable: Spent two seasons at Sacred Heart. Averaged 14.2 ppg, 3.8 rpg, while shooting .452 (92-of-209) from 3-point range in 2025-26… Has averaged more than four made 3-pointers per game the past two seasons… Career .436 (156-of-358) shooter from beyond the arc… Recorded six games of 20 or more points last season.
Coach Martelli on Ralph-Beyer: "Nyle is an elite shooter with a strong desire to develop his all-around game. He has deep range along with a quick, effortless release."
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SAMMY JACKSON l Guard l Freshman l Philadelphia, Pa. l Roman Catholic HS
Notable: A 6-foot-7 wing, Jackson is rated No. 55 by Rivals and No. 58 by 247Sports in the class of 2026. Also ranked No. 78 in ESPN's SCNext 100… Chose VCU over offers from Texas, Indiana, Pitt, Arizona State and others… Supplied 20.3 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 4.3 apg, while shooting 51 percent from the field, including 42 percent from 3-point range in 2025-26 as a senior on the way to Class 6A First Team All-State honors… Knocked down 52 three-pointers this season… Averaged 13.4 ppg, 4.9 rpg, 3.2 apg and hit 51 three-pointers as a junior and led Roman Catholic to the Class 6A Championship Game… Also starred for Team Final on the AAU circuit.
Coach Martelli on Jackson: "Sammy is a tall guard with a strong feel for the game. His game has developed as a scorer while maintaining his incredible passing abilities."
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COLLIN ROSS l Forward l Freshman l Atlanta, Ga. l SPIRE Academy (Ohio)
Notable: The 6-foot-10, 200-pound forward is ranked 60th nationally by Rivals in the class of 2026… Picked VCU over interest from Vanderbilt, Xavier, Seton Hall Dayton and others… Averaged 12.5 points, 8.2 rebounds and 3.9 blocks, while shooting 65 percent from the field and 37 percent from 3-point range as a senior at SPIRE in 2024-25.
Coach Martelli on Ross: "Collin is an athletic, hard playing forward. He has natural shot blocking abilities to go along with a developing offensive skill set that allow him to play inside or outside."
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STEFAN PLISNIC l Center l Freshman l IMG Academy (Fla.) KK Dynamic Belgrade
Notable: The 6-foot-10 skilled post player averaged 8.4 ppg and 1.8 rpg for his native Serbia at the 2025 FIBA U19 World Cup in Switzerland. Scored 16 points in the Round of 16 versus Germany. Shot 38 percent (6-of-16) from beyond the arc in the tournament… Averaged 6.1 ppg and 2.6 rpg in 2024-25 for KK Dynamic in the KLS, Serbia's top-tier professional league
Coach Martelli on Plisnic: "Stefan is a skilled perimeter big guy. He has the size of a center but the perimeter skills of a guard, allowing him to take advantage of any type of defender he sees."
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RETURNING PLAYERS (7)
PLAYER NAME l Position l 2026-27 Eligibility
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BRANDON JENNINGS l Guard l Junior
Notable: Atlantic 10 All-Defensive Team… 8.5 ppg, 3.6 rpg… Led team with 60 steals and was second with 30 blocks… Started 35 of 36 games.
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NYK LEWIS l Guard l Sophomore
Notable: Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Year… A-10 All-Tournament Team… 8.7 ppg, 4.5 rpg… Started 35 of 36 games as a freshman... Recorded three double-doubles.
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AHMAD NOWELL l Guard l Junior
Notable: 4.5 ppg, 1.2 rpg… Shot .414 (24-of-58) from 3-point range… Appeared in 28 games off the bench in 2025-26. Averaged 10.5 mpg.
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MICHAEL BELLE l Guard/Forward l Senior
Notable: Enjoyed breakout junior campaign… Averaged career bests 7.3 ppg, 5.0 rpg and 22.4 mpg… Appeared in all 36 games off the bench in 2025-26… Shot .500 (20-of-40) from 3-point range and .541 overall… Suiting up for his fourth season at VCU in 2026-27. Has appeared in 109 career games as a Ram.
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JORDAN TILLERY l Guard l Sophomore
Notable: Appeared in 12 games off the bench as a freshman in 2025-26… Averaged 4.3 ppg, 1.4 rpg, while shooting .594 (19-of-32) from the field.
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TYRELL WARD l Guard l Senior
Notable: Saw action in 31 games as a reserve… Averaged 5.7 ppg, 2.2 rpg, while shooting 13.6 mpg… Averaged 7.6 ppg and 1.9 rpg in conference play… Career 37-percent shooter (87-of-132) from 3-point range.
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LAZAR DJOKOVIC l Forward l Senior
Notable: First Team All-Atlantic 10… Averaged career-high 13.2 ppg and a team-best 5.2 rpg… shot .500 from the field, including .343 (23-of-67) from 3-point range… Connected on 166 free throws (166-of-212), fourth-most in program single-season history.
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PLAYERS LOST (7)
PLAYER NAME l Position l 2025-26 stats l Reason
JADRIAN TRACEY l Guard l 9.6 ppg, .360 3FG (62-of-172) l Graduation
BARRY EVANS l Forward l 7.2 ppg, 4.9 rpg l Graduation
TERRENCE HILL JR. l Guard l 15.0 ppg, .370 3FG (81-of-219) l Portal (Tennessee)
OBI OKAFOR l Forward l DNP-Knee l Portal
JORDANN DUMONT l Forward l 0.9 ppg l Portal (Tulane)
CHRISTIAN FERMIN l Forward l 4 GP, 0.8 ppg, 2.5 rpg l Portal
KEYSHAWN MITCHELL l Forward l 3.2 ppg, 2.7 rpg l Portal (Iona)
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