Old Dominion Athletic Conference

The Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) is an NCAA Division III athletic conference. Of its 15 member schools, all but one are located in Virginia; the other full member is in North Carolina. The conference also has two associate members in North Carolina and Virginia

Old Dominion Athletic Conference
ODAC
Established1975
AssociationNCAA
DivisionDivision III
Members15 full 2 associate
Sports fielded
  • 24
    • men's: 11
    • women's: 13
RegionSouth Atlantic
Former namesVirginia College Conference
HeadquartersForest, Virginia
CommissionerBrad Bankston
Websiteodaconline.com
Locations

History
Old Dominion Athletic Conference
Location of ODAC members: current and future
ODAC logo from 1976 to 2010

The conference was founded in May 1975 as the Virginia College Conference.[1] On January 1, 1976, the name was changed to the Old Dominion Athletic Conference. The 1976–77 season was the first in which championships were offered. In 1982–83, women's sports were added. In 1981, Catholic University joined the conference after leaving Division I's Colonial Athletic Association. In 1988, Virginia Wesleyan was added as a member, and, in 1990, Guilford became the first member located outside D.C. and Virginia. Maryville College was an all-sports member in the 1980s. In 1989 Catholic left the conference to become a charter member of the Capital Athletic Conference, returning in 1999 as a football-only member.[2] The next school to leave the conference was Mary Baldwin College, which left in 1999 to join the Atlantic Women's Colleges Conference.

In 2010 the ODAC announced the addition of Shenandoah University to its full-time membership, with its first full year of involvement during the 2012–13 academic year.[3]

The league office moved its physical location from Salem, Virginia, to Forest, Virginia, just outside centrally located Lynchburg, and contracted with Jim Ward Design for its new marks.[4]

On March 3, 2015, Sweet Briar College announced it was to close (cease operations) at the end of the 2015 summer session.[5] However, on June 20, 2015, the Virginia Attorney General announced a mediation agreement that will keep Sweet Briar College open for the 2015–16 academic year.[6] Sweet Briar reactivated its sports teams in the 2015-16 season and remained a full member of the ODAC.

On September 29, 2015, it was announced that Catholic University would withdraw in 2017 as associate member to join the new football league at the New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference.[7]

In June 2017, it was announced that Ferrum College would become the 15th full-time member of the Old Dominion Athletic Conference.

The conference hosts the Division III championships in football and men's basketball, both of which are held in Salem, Virginia. DIII softball has called Salem home along with Division III women's lacrosse and volleyball. Since 1993 - the conference and city have hosted over 50 Division III national championships.

Member schools

Members
Institution Location Nickname Founded Type Enrollment Football? Joined
Bridgewater College Bridgewater, Virginia Eagles 1880 Private 1,690 Yes 1976
Eastern Mennonite University Harrisonburg, Virginia Royals 1917 Private 998 No 1976
Emory & Henry College Emory, Virginia Wasps 1836 Private 1,000 Yes 1976
Ferrum College Ferrum, Virginia Panthers 1913 Private 1,500 Yes 2018
Guilford College Greensboro, North Carolina Quakers 1837 Private 2,682 Yes 1991
Hampden–Sydney College^ Hampden Sydney, Virginia Tigers 1775 Private 1,120 Yes 1976
Hollins University†% Roanoke, Virginia *None* 1842 Private 816 No 1982
University of Lynchburg Lynchburg, Virginia Hornets 1903 Private 2,500 No 1976
Randolph College Lynchburg, Virginia WildCats 1891 Private 522 No 1982
Randolph–Macon College Ashland, Virginia Yellow Jackets 1830 Private 1,146 Yes 1976
Roanoke College Salem, Virginia Maroons 1842 Private 2,100 No 1976
Shenandoah University Winchester, Virginia Hornets 1875 Private 2,800 Yes 2012
Sweet Briar College† Sweet Briar, Virginia Vixens 1901 Private 530 No 1982
Virginia Wesleyan University Virginia Beach, Virginia Marlins 1961 Private 1,446 No 1989
Washington and Lee University Lexington, Virginia Generals 1749 Private 2,200 Yes 1976
Notes

    † - Women's college, therefore not competing in men's sports.
    ^ - Men's college, therefore not competing in women's sports.
    % - Hollins University does not have an athletic nickname.

    Associate members
    Institution Location Nickname Founded Type Enrollment Joined Primary conference ODAC sport(s)
    Greensboro College Greensboro, North Carolina Pride 1838 Private 1,250 2011-12 USA South women's swimming
    Southern Virginia University Buena Vista, Virginia Knights 1867 Private 1,106 2019-20 Capital Athletic
    (USA South in 2021)    		 football

    Former members
    Institution Location Nickname Founded Type Enrollment Joined Left Current conference
    Catholic University Washington, D.C. Cardinals 1887 Private 3,469 1981 1989 Landmark
    Maryville College Maryville, Tennessee Scots 1819 Private 1,176 1980 1988 USA South
    Mary Baldwin College Staunton, Virginia Fighting Squirrels 1842 Private 2,542 1984 1992 USA South

    Former associate members
    Institution Location Nickname Founded Type Enrollment Joined Left ODAC sport(s) Current conference
    in former ODAC sport(s)
    Catholic University Washington, D.C. Cardinals 1887 Private 3,469 1999 2017 Football NEWMAC
    Notre Dame of Maryland University Baltimore, Maryland Gators 1873 Private 4,878 2011-12 2015-16 women's swimming CSAC

    Membership timeline
    Southern Virginia UniversityFerrum CollegeShenandoah UniversityNotre Dame of Maryland UniversityGreensboro CollegeGuilford CollegeSweet Briar CollegeRandolph CollegeHollins UniversityMaryville CollegeWashington and Lee UniversityRoanoke CollegeRandolph–Macon CollegeHampden–Sydney CollegeEmory and Henry CollegeEastern Mennonite UniversityBridgewater College

    Purple denotes football playing member.
    Green denotes non-football playing member.
    Red denotes associate member (football-only).
    Blue denotes associate member (swimming only).

    Sports
    See also: Old Dominion Athletic Conference Men's Basketball Tournament

    The conference sponsors championships in the following sports:

    Conference sports
    SportMen'sWomen's
    Baseball
    Y
    Basketball
    Y
    Y
    Cross Country
    Y
    Y
    Equestrian
    Y
    Field Hockey
    Y
    Football
    Y
    Golf
    Y
    Y
    Lacrosse
    Y
    Y
    Soccer
    Y
    Y
    Softball
    Y
    Swimming
    Y
    Y
    Tennis
    Y
    Y
    Track and field (indoor)
    Y
    Y
    Track and field (outdoor)
    Y
    Y
    Volleyball
    Y
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    References
    1. "Virginia Colleges form Conference; 1976 Action Set". The Bee (Danville, Virginia). May 20, 1975. p. 8.
    2. D3 football Catholic returns to ODAC July 7, 1999
    3. Lynchburg College Sports Information Office September 29, 2010
    4. ODAC news oct 13, 2010
    5. Nick Anderson and Susan Svrluga (March 3, 2015). "Sweet Briar College to close because of financial challenges". The Washington Post. Retrieved June 21, 2015.
    6. Karin Kapsidelis (June 20, 2015). "Agreement reached to keep Sweet Briar open - Richmond Times-Dispatch: Virginia News And Politics". Richmond.com. Retrieved June 21, 2015.
    7. "NEWMAC Adds Eighth Football Member Catholic University". NEWMAC.
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