VCU junior center Brendan Medley-Bacon, a transfer from Coppin State, has been granted a waiver from the NCAA and will be immediately eligible for the 2020-21 season.
The 7-foot-1, 240-pound Medley-Bacon was a Third Team All-MEAC selection as a sophomore in 2019-20. He was the only underclassman on the All-MEAC squads.
Medley-Bacon blocked 82 shots in 61 games over two seasons at Coppin State and was a four-time MEAC Defensive Player of the Week last year. The Baltimore native started all 31 games in 2019-20 for the Eagles and averaged 7.5 points, 8.9 rebounds and 2.1 blocks per game, which ranked 31st nationally. Medley-Bacon’s 66 blocks last year were the third most in Coppin State history. He also ranked second on the team last season with 55 assists.
The sophomore hit his stride in conference play last season. Medley-Bacon raised his averages to 10.8 points, 12.5 rebounds and 2.9 blocks per game in MEAC contests. Medley-Bacon recorded seven double-doubles in 2019-20, including a 20-point, 13-rebound, five-block effort on March 5 at Maryland Eastern-Shore. He also corralled 24 rebounds on Jan. 25 against Morgan State. Medley-Bacon blocked four or more shots in a game seven times last year, including seven on Feb. 8 against N.C. Central.
Medley-Bacon is the second VCU transfer to receive a waiver from the NCAA this offseason. Senior forward Levi Stockard III (St. Louis, Mo.), a transfer from Kansas State, was granted a waiver in September.