Today was supposed to be the day for a major announcement regarding VCU’s future conference affiliation. That announcement never came.

What was announced however, were three giant stories that will effect VCU’s future in one way or another:

1) VCU officials named Dave Benedict as interim Athletics Director for the Rams. Benedict has served as Executive Associate AD since 2010. VCU President Michael Rao said he will appoint a committee this week to conduct a national search to fill the position on a full-time basis.

2) ESPN’s Andy Katz reported Butler will join the Atlantic 10 conference for the 2013-2014 season. Rumors have linked the Bulldogs with VCU and Mason as the three teams likely to expand the A10 to sixteen following the loss of Temple to the Big East and the impending loss of Charlotte to Conference USA (reported today by CBS Sports). Two things we like about this news (as in VCURamNation.com staff, who are all in favor of the move) it 1) means there’s actually something to some of these rumors — after conference commissioners have denied these things for months now — and 2) it makes the A10 a more attractive future home for the Rams.

3) CBS Sports reported Old Dominion is headed to Conference USA. The thought is ODU — made uneasy from the VCU and Mason rumors — decided to make the jump to FBS football a bit earlier than originally planned and to not be left in greatly depleted CAA conference. It was later reported that this has yet to become official, but the loss of ODU would further push the Rams toward the A10, which has now become even more attractive with the addition of Butler and the subtraction of our main rival in the Colonial.

Outgoing AD Norwood Teague recommended to President Rao and the Board of Visitors that VCU remain in the CAA, but we can’t help but wonder if he had any idea that CAA would be without one of it’s top programs in ODU.

The Rams have been linked to several key transfers this offseason. Here’s a list of the potential ballers with a little on each.

Jarelle Reischel: 6’6 212lb SG from Rice. Averaged 5.5 points and 2.6 rebounds as a freshman this past season.
I’d put Reischel in the “likely to sign” category based on the tea leaves I’ve read after his visit to Richmond. Reischel originally chose Rice despite offers from six BCS teams including the likes of Maryland, Georgetown and West Virginia. Reischel started 13 games for the Owls, posted double-digit scoring outputs seven times and averaged 9.9 points, 4.1 rebounds and 1.6 steals in games he played 20 or more minutes.

Michael Bradley: 6’10 225lb F/C from UConn. Has yet to acquire any D1 stats.
Ram fans were pretty pumped about Bradley two years ago when we were on his final list of teams, but the allure of the prestigious UConn basketball program eventually drew him to Storrs where he would redshirt a year before being asked to give up his scholarship (the balls on these programs!) for a higher-rated recruit this past season. After two years of the the Connecticut run-around, Bradley is looking to contribute, and VCU is in the mix for his services once again. Bradley has visited Western Kentucky where he was apparently impressed, and has also visited Belmont and Stetson. Tough to figure this one out. Having picked UConn out of high school over a school he’d get more playing time, he clearly has shown a desire to play for the better-known program, and when you compare his transfer options, VCU would lead that category by a mile.

Damontre Harris: 6’9 214lb F/C from South Carolina. Averaged 6.8 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 2.3 blocks this past season.
Like Bradley, Harris was a one-time target of Shaka Smart. Where the two differ is in status leaving high school. Harris was all over everyone’s radar as a Rivals 4-star, their No.64 player coming out of high school that year. Harris remains on those radars as well, reportedly being pursued by the likes of Kansas, Florida and UVA to go along with VCU and others. Where VCU has the advantage is in the previously built relationship between Shaka and Harris, who’s high school coach recently stated, “I just know that [Harris] has a previous relationship with VCU and Shaka [Smart]. Shaka recruited him some when he was at Florida before he got the VCU job”.

Michael Gbinije: 6’7 205lb G/F from Duke. Averaged 1.8 points, 0.2 assists, and 0.2 steals this past season.
Gbinije went to Duke as a Rivals 4-star player, the 35th-best of his class according to the service, but notched a paltry 5.8 minutes/game for the Blue Devils. I’ve yet to see Gbinije’s list of potential future homes, but LOVE to speculate a trip home to play for the black-and-gold isn’t out of the question. Why? Because as just mentioned, Gbinije is from the area. A Chester native (like yours truly) who played his ball in the Museum District at Benedictine, Gbinije would be the second top-100 recruit to join the Rams next season, joining Jordan Burgess, his former teammate with the Cadets.

Forget for a second that he finished THIRD in CAA Coach of the Year voting after finishing second in the regular season standings (eventually winning the CAA tournament) after losing four key seniors from a Final 4 squad… ESPN.com’s Myron Medcalf seems to be one of the many who thought Shaka Smart was at least a top 10 candidate for NATIONAL Coach of the Year honors.

Medcalf slotted Shaka ninth in his rankings, just behind the likes of four, maybe five, future hall-of-famers.