The Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) is an intercollegiate athletic conference that competes in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III. Of its 14 full member schools, all but one are located in Virginia; the other is in North Carolina. The conference also has four associate members: one in Virginia, one in North Carolina, one in Tennessee, and one in Georgia. The ODAC is unique in that its membership includes co-ed colleges, women's colleges, and a men's college.
History
The conference was founded in May 1975 as the Virginia College Conference."Virginia Colleges form Conference; 1976 Action Set". The Bee (Danville, Virginia). May 20, 1975. p. 8. 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 1980, Maryville College joined and became the first member outside of Virginia. In 1981, Catholic University joined the conference after leaving Division I's ECAC South Conference. In 1982–83, women's sports were added, and Hollins College (now university), Randolph–Macon Woman's College (now Randolph College), and Sweet Briar College all joined. Mary Baldwin College (now university) joined in 1984. In 1988, Maryville left and was replaced by Virginia Wesleyan College (now Batten University). In 1989 Catholic left the conference to become a charter member of the Capital Athletic Conference, returning in 1999 as a football-only member. They were replaced by Guilford College two years later. The next school to leave the conference was Mary Baldwin, which left in 1992.
In 2010 the ODAC announced the addition of Shenandoah University as a full-time member, with its first full year of involvement during the 2012–13 academic year.
The league office moved its physical location from Salem, to Forest in eastern Bedford County located just outside centrally located Lynchburg, Virginia. They also contracted Jim Ward Design for its new marks.
On March 3, 2015, Sweet Briar College announced it was to close (cease operations) at the end of the 2015 summer session. However, on June 20, 2015, the Virginia Attorney General announced a mediation agreement that kept Sweet Briar College open for the 2015–16 academic year. 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.
In June 2017, it was announced that Ferrum College would become the 15th full-time member of the Old Dominion Athletic Conference after it moved from the USA South Conference.
Southern Virginia University, which joined the ODAC as a football only member in 2019, announced in December of that year that it was leaving both the ODAC and Coast to Coast Athletic Conference to join the football-sponsoring USA South Athletic Conference as a full member.
The conference has hosted Division III championships in football and men's basketball, both of which were held in Salem, Virginia. D-III softball has also used Salem as a championship host along with Division III women's lacrosse and volleyball on several occasions. Since 1993 - the conference and city have hosted over 80 Division III national championships.
It was announced on November 17, 2020, that Emory & Henry College, later a university, would leave the ODAC and begin its transition to Division II in July 2021 and compete in the South Atlantic Conference in 2022.
The most recent change in conference membership was announced on March 8, 2021, that Averett University would leave the USA South and join its former USA South counterpart Ferrum College in the ODAC as a full member in 2022.
On September 18, 2023, the ODAC announced that it would add men's volleyball as a sponsored championship sport, beginning the 2025 fall season of 2024–25 academic year, initially with seven full members. At the time of announcement, Eastern Mennonite, Randolph–Macon, and Roanoke had established programs; Averett and Virginia Wesleyan were preparing to play their first varsity seasons in 2024; and Lynchburg and Randolph had committed to starting varsity play in 2025.
On July 3, 2024, Gallaudet University announced that it would join the ODAC as an associate member for football for the 2025 fall season of the 2025–26 academic year.
Chronological timeline 1975 – The ODAC was founded as the Virginia Athletic Conference. Charter members included Bridgewater College, Eastern Mennonite College (now Eastern Mennonite University), Emory & Henry College (now Emory & Henry University), Hampden–Sydney College, Lynchburg College (now the University of Lynchburg), Randolph–Macon College, Roanoke College and Washington and Lee University. However, it was renamed to become the Old Dominion Athletic Conference on 1 January 1976, beginning the 1976–77 academic year, their first year of competition. 1980 – Maryville College joined the ODAC in the 1980–81 academic year. 1981 – Catholic University joined the ODAC in the 1981–82 academic year. 1982 – Women's sports were instated in the ODAC, also three women's sports institutions of Hollins College (now Hollins University), Randolph–Macon Woman's College (now Randolph College) and Sweet Briar College joined the ODAC in the 1982–83 academic year. 1984 – Mary Baldwin College (now Mary Baldwin University) joined the ODAC in the 1984–85 academic year. 1988 – Maryville left the ODAC after the 1987–88 academic year. 1989: Catholic (D.C.) left the ODAC to join the Capital Athletic Conference (now the Coast to Coast Athletic Conference or C2C) after the 1988–89 academic year. Virginia Wesleyan College (now Batten University) joined the ODAC in the 1989–90 academic year. 1991 – Guilford College joined the ODAC in the 1991–92 academic year. 1992 – Mary Baldwin left the ODAC after the 1991–92 academic year. 1999 – Catholic (D.C.) rejoined the ODAC as an associate member for football in the 1999 fall season (1999–2000 academic year). 2011 – Greensboro College and Notre Dame of Maryland University joined the ODAC as associate members for women's swimming in the 2011–12 academic year. 2012 – Shenandoah University joined the ODAC in the 2012–13 academic year. 2015 – Ferrum College joined the ODAC as an associate member for men's and women's swimming in the 2015–16 academic year. 2016 – Notre Dame (Md.) left the ODAC as an associate member for women's swimming by discontinuing the sport after the 2015–16 academic year. 2017 – Catholic (D.C.) left the ODAC as an associate member for football after the 2016 fall season (2016–17 academic year). 2018 – Ferrum upgraded to join the ODAC for all sports in the 2018–19 academic year. 2019 – Southern Virginia University joined the ODAC as an associate member for football in the 2019 fall season (2019–20 academic year). 2021: Southern Virginia left the ODAC as an associate member for football after the 2020 fall season (2020–21 academic year). Emory & Henry left the ODAC to join the Division II ranks of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) by becoming an NCAA D-II Independent (which would later join the South Atlantic Conference (SAC) in 2022–23) after the 2020–21 academic year. Averett University joined the ODAC in the 2022–23 academic year. 2022 – Southern Virginia and Greensboro joined as associate members in men's wrestling in the 2022–23 academic year. 2023 – The ODAC added men's volleyball for the 2025 spring season (2024–25 academic year), initially with seven full members. At the time of announcement, Eastern Mennonite, Randolph–Macon, and Roanoke had established programs; Averett and Virginia Wesleyan were preparing to play their first varsity seasons in 2024; and Lynchburg and Randolph had committed to starting varsity play in 2025. 2025: Ferrum left the ODAC to join the NCAA Division II ranks and the Conference Carolinas (CC) after the 2024–25 academic year. Gallaudet University joined the ODAC as an associate member for football in the 2025 fall season (2025–26 academic year). 2026 – Gallaudet left the ODAC as an associate member for football after the 2025 fall season (2025–26 academic year).
Member schools Current members The ODAC currently has 14 full members, all are private schools:
Institution Location Founded Affiliation Enrollment NicknameColors Joined Football? Averett University Danville, Virginia 1859 Nonsectarian 2,719 Cougars 2022 Yes Batten University Virginia Beach, Virginia 1961 United Methodist 1,446 Marlins 1989 No Bridgewater College Bridgewater, Virginia 1880 Church of the Brethren 1,800 Eagles 1976 Yes Eastern Mennonite University Harrisonburg, Virginia 1917 Mennonite 998 Royals 1976 No Guilford College Greensboro, North Carolina 1837 Quaker 2,682 Quakers 1991 Yes Hampden–Sydney College Hampden Sydney, Virginia 1775 Presbyterian 1,120 Tigers 1976 Yes Hollins University Roanoke, Virginia 1842 Nonsectarian 816 N/A 1982 No University of Lynchburg Lynchburg, Virginia 1903 Disciples of Christ 2,500 Hornets 1976 No Randolph College Lynchburg, Virginia 1891 United Methodist 522 WildCats 1982 No Randolph–Macon College Ashland, Virginia 1830 United Methodist 1,146 Yellow Jackets 1976 Yes Roanoke College Salem, Virginia 1842 Lutheran ELCA 1,920 Maroons 1976 Yes Shenandoah University Winchester, Virginia 1875 United Methodist 2,800 Hornets 2012 Yes Sweet Briar College Sweet Briar, Virginia 1901 Nonsectarian 530 Vixens 1982 No Washington and Lee University Lexington, Virginia 1749 Nonsectarian 2,200 Generals 1976 Yes
Notes
Associate members The ODAC currently has four associate members, all are private schools:
Institution Location Founded Affiliation Enrollment Nickname Joined ODACsport(s) Primaryconference Berry College Rome, Georgia 1902 Non-denominational 2,254 Vikings 2022 Southern (SAA) Greensboro College Greensboro, North Carolina 1838 United Methodist 1,250 Pride 2011, 2022 , USA SouthSewanee: The University of the South Sewanee, Tennessee 1857 Episcopal 1,695 Tigers 2023 Southern (SAA) Southern Virginia University Buena Vista, Virginia 1867 LDS Church 1,106 Knights 2022 USA South
Notes
Former members The ODAC had five former full members, all were private schools:
Institution Location Founded Affiliation Enrollment Nickname Joined Left Currentconference The Catholic University of America Washington, D.C. 1887 Catholic 3,469 Cardinals 1981 1989 Landmark Emory & Henry College Emory, Virginia 1836 United Methodist 1,000 Wasps 1976 2021 South Atlantic (SAC) Ferrum College Ferrum, Virginia 1913 United Methodist 1,500 Panthers 2018 2025 Carolinas (CC) Maryville College Maryville, Tennessee 1819 Presbyterian 1,176 Scots 1980 1988 Southern (SAA) Mary Baldwin College Staunton, Virginia 1842 Presbyterian 2,542 Fighting Squirrels 1984 1992 USA South
Notes
Former associate members The ODAC had three former associate members, all were private schools:
Institution Location Founded Affiliation Enrollment Nickname Joined Left ODACsport(s) Currentprimaryconference The Catholic University of America Washington, D.C. 1887 Catholic 3,469 Cardinals 1999 2017 Football Landmark Gallaudet University Washington, D.C. 1864 Quasigovernmental 1,740 Bison 2025 2026 Football United East (UEC) Notre Dame of Maryland University Baltimore, Maryland 1873 Catholic 4,878 Gators 2011 2016 Women's swimming United East (UEC) Southern Virginia University Buena Vista, Virginia 1867 LDS Church 1,106 Knights 2019 2021 Football USA South
Notes
Membership timeline This timeline is expressed with color bars.
Sports
The conference sponsors championships in the following sports:
+ Conference sportsSportMen'sWomen'sBaseball Basketball Cross country Equestrian Field hockey Football Golf Lacrosse Soccer Softball Swimming Tennis Track and field (indoor) Track and field (outdoor) Volleyball Wrestling
References