From Snoop Dogg to sellout crowds: Inside VCU men's basketball
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#PackTheStu Photo: VCU Athletics
They've had fans in Snoop Dogg and Spike Lee. Their timeouts double as performance art. And the man whose name is on the arena sits courtside.
Why it matters: The fandom and rowdy atmosphere that VCU men's basketball has built is a major part of its identity, and it's on display as the Rams push through a key stretch of the season.
State of play: VCU was picked as the preseason favorite to repeat as A-10 champions under first-year coach Phil Martelli, Jr., but through five conference games, the Rams are tied for fourth with a 3-2 record.
- And much of it plays out at The Siegel Center — known as "The Stu" — which remains one of VCU's biggest advantages as the Rams chase a return to the NCAA tournament.
- ESPN once called it the second-toughest place to win in the Atlantic 10 Conference, citing its "funky band," sellout crowds and energy.
More fun facts to know about VCU men's basketball:
🏟️ The man behind the name
Stuart C. Siegel Center is named after a local businessman who donated $7 million toward building the arena.
- And he has a designated seat directly behind the part of the court that says "Stuart C. Siegel Center."
👨👩👦👦 It runs in the family
If you think the head coach and associate head coach look real similar, there's a reason.
- They're actually brothers.
- Phil Martelli Jr. took over as head coach after Ryan Odom left for UVA last year. Jimmy Martelli joined shortly after.
- "It's a lot of fun," Martelli Jr. told RTD of coaching alongside his big brother. "He's not quite the pain in the a– he was when we were younger."
🌎 International roster
The 2025-26 men's basketball team only has one player from Richmond, but three who were born outside the U.S.
- One of its star players, the 6-foot-11 Lazar Djokovic, is from Serbia.
- Then there's Michael Belle (London) and Jordann Dumont (Montreal).
🕺🏻 Dancing band director
Ryan Kopacsi, a Henrico native and on-and-off band director of "The Peppas" for over 20 years, is known for being outrageous. And it's what makes the timeouts a must-see part of the game.
- The ensemble's performances — which at times have included Kopacsi taking his clothes off — have made them one of the most recognizable college pep bands in the country.
- They gained national attention during VCU's 2011 Final Four run, appeared on the "Today Show" in 2016 and went viral for performing Kendrick Lamar's "tv off" in 2024.
Fun fact: Kopacsi told Style Weekly in 2016 that he was inspired by HBCU bands, saying "I knew I just wanted to jam like them."
What's next: VCU plays Saint Joseph's on Monday, 3pm, at the Siegel Center. Tickets start at $24.