VCU coach praises student journalists after historic March Madness comeback: 'Best in the country'

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After completing the largest comeback in the history of the first round of March Madness, No. 11 VCU head coach Phil Martelli Jr. made it a point to shout out specific journalists.

Ben Rekosh, the director and on-air commentator for WVCW Sports, the school's radio station, was in the middle of asking a question to Martelli about their comeback over No. 6 UNC when Martelli interrupted.

"I am gonna shout you guys out. I know there's a lot of professional media, our student media, the best in the country. They are unreal. Unreal, unreal," Martelli said. "Three of these guys drove in a snowstorm — I'm not sure why they did it — to Davidson to cover us in Davidson. They came out to St. Louis, they've been everywhere along the way."

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VCU Rams head coach Phil Martelli Jr. answers questions during a practice session ahead of the first round of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Bon Secours Wellness Arena. (Jim Dedmon/Imagn Images)

Martelli did put the reporters on blast, though, saying they had to miss a game for Valentine's Day.

"We won't talk about that. I understand young love is young love," Martelli joked. "But this crew right here, I told them in Pittsburgh, I'll tell them again, I cannot thank you guys enough. You are what this is about, right there. The rest of these [media members] are getting paid — not enough. They don't get paid enough, but they get paid to be here — they're not paid to be here, and they show up every single day, every single game, and I can't thank you guys (enough)."

Rekosh said he appreciated the kind words and went right back to asking his question, the last