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 three associate members: one in Virginia, one in North Carolina, and one in Washington, D.C. The ODAC is unique in that its membership includes co-ed colleges, women's colleges, and a men's college.

History

thumb|right|ODAC logo from 1976 to 2010

The conference was founded in May 1975 as the Virginia College Conference. 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 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 Virginia Wesleyan 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 will leave 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:

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align: center;"

! Institution

! Location

! Founded

! Affiliation

! Enrollment

! Nickname

!Colors

! Joined

! Football?

|-

| Averett University

| Danville, Virginia

| 1859

| Nonsectarian

| 2,719

| Cougars

|

| 2022

| Yes

|-

| 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

|-

| Virginia Wesleyan University

| Virginia Beach, Virginia

| 1961

| United Methodist

| 1,446

| Marlins

|

| 1989

| No

|-

| Washington and Lee University

| Lexington, Virginia

| 1749

| Nonsectarian

| 2,200

| Generals

|

| 1976

| Yes

|}

;Notes:

Associate members

The ODAC currently has three associate members, all are private schools:

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align: center;"

! Institution

! Location

! Founded

! Affiliation

! Enrollment

! Nickname

! Joined

! ODAC<br />sport(s)

! Primary<br />conference

|-bgcolor=#ffa0a0

| Gallaudet University

| Washington, D.C.

| 1864

| Quasigovernmental

| 1,740

| Bison

| 2025

| Football

| United East

|-

| rowspan=2 | Greensboro College

| rowspan=2 | Greensboro, North Carolina

| rowspan=2 | 1838

| rowspan=2 | United Methodist

| rowspan=2 | 1,250

| rowspan=2 | Pride

| 2011

|

| rowspan=2 | USA South

|-

| 2022

|

|-

| 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:

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align: center;"

! Institution

! Location

! Founded

! Affiliation

! Enrollment

! Nickname

! Joined

! Left

! Current<br />conference

|-

| The Catholic University of America

| Washington, D.C.

| 1887

| Catholic<br >

| 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<br />

| 1,176

| Scots

| 1980

| 1988

| C.C. South (CCS)<br />

|-

| Mary Baldwin College

| Staunton, Virginia

| 1842

| Presbyterian<br />

| 2,542

| Fighting Squirrels

| 1984

| 1992

| USA South

|}

;Notes:

Former associate members

The ODAC had three former associate members, all were private schools:

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align: center;"

! Institution

! Location

! Founded

! Affiliation

! Enrollment

! Nickname

! Joined

! Left

! ODAC<br />sport(s)

! Current<br />primary<br />conference

|-

| The Catholic University of America

| Washington, D.C.

| 1887

| Catholic<br />

| 3,469

| Cardinals

| 1999

| 2017

| Football

| Landmark

|-

| Notre Dame of Maryland University

| Baltimore, Maryland

| 1873

| Catholic<br />

| 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.

<timeline>

DateFormat = yyyy

ImageSize = width:900 height:auto barincrement:20

Period = from:1976 till:2030

TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal

PlotArea = right:5 left:5 bottom:40 top:5

Colors =

id:line value:black

id:bg value:white

id:Full value:rgb(0.7,0.9,0.8) # Use this color to denote a team that is a member in all sports

id:FullxF value:rgb(0.9,0.8,0.7) # Use this color to denote a team that is a member in all sports except for football

id:AssocF value:rgb(0.9,0.7,0.8) # Use this color to denote a team that is a member for football only

id:AssocOS value:rgb(0.8,0.9,0.7) # Use this color to denote a team that is a member for another sport only

id:OtherC1 value:rgb(0.996,0.996,0.699) # Use this color to denote a team that has moved in another conference

id:OtherC2 value:rgb(0.988,0.703,0.383) # Use this color to denote a team that has moved in another conference when the other color has already been used

PlotData=

width:15 textcolor:black shift:(5,-5) anchor:from fontsize:s

bar:1 color:Full from:1976 till:end text:Bridgewater (1976–present)

bar:2 color:FullxF from:1976 till:end text:Eastern Mennonite (1976–present)

bar:3 color:Full from:1976 till:2021 text:Emory & Henry (1976–2021)

bar:3 shift:(-25) color:OtherC1 from:2021 till:2022 text:D-II Ind.

bar:3 color:OtherC2 from:2022 till:end text:SAC

bar:4 color:Full from:1976 till:end text:Hampden–Sydney (1976–present)

bar:5 color:FullxF from:1976 till:end text:Lynchburg (1976–present)

bar:6 color:Full from:1976 till:end text:Randolph–Macon (1976–present)

bar:7 color:FullxF from:1976 till:2024 text:Roanoke (1976–present)

bar:7 color:Full from:2024 till:end

bar:8 color:Full from:1976 till:end text:Washington and Lee (1976–present)

bar:9 color:Full from:1980 till:1988 text:Maryville (Tenn.) (1980–1988)

bar:9 shift:(15) color:OtherC1 from:1988 till:1999 text:D-III Ind.

bar:9 color:OtherC2 from:1999 till:2012 text:GSAC

bar:9 color:OtherC1 from:2012 till:2022 text:USA South

bar:9 color:OtherC2 from:2022 till:2026 text:CCS

bar:9 color:OtherC1 from:2026 till:end text:SAA

bar:10 color:FullxF from:1981 till:1982 text:Catholic (1981–1989)

bar:10 color:Full from:1982 till:1984

bar:10 color:FullxF from:1984 till:1989

bar:10 color:OtherC1 from:1989 till:1999 text:CAC

bar:10 shift:(-20) color:AssocF from:1999 till:2007 text:CAC (ODAC fb. 1999–2007)

bar:10 shift:(-10) color:AssocF from:2007 till:2017 text:Landmark (ODAC fb. 2007–2017)

bar:10 color:OtherC1 from:2017 till:end text:Landmark

bar:11 color:FullxF from:1982 till:end text:Hollins (1982–present)

bar:12 color:FullxF from:1982 till:end text:Randolph (1982–present)

bar:13 color:FullxF from:1982 till:end text:Sweet Briar (1982–present)

bar:14 color:FullxF from:1984 till:1992 text:Mary Baldwin (1984–1992)

bar:14 color:OtherC1 from:1992 till:1995 text:D-II Ind.

bar:14 color:OtherC2 from:1995 till:2007 text:AWCC

bar:14 color:OtherC1 from:2007 till:end text:USA South

bar:15 color:FullxF from:1989 till:end text:Virginia Wesleyan (1989–present)

bar:16 color:Full from:1991 till:end text:Guilford (1991–present)

bar:17 color:AssocOS from:2011 till:end text:Greensboro (2011–present)

bar:18 color:AssocOS from:2011 till:2016 text:Notre Dame (Md.) (2011–2016)

bar:19 color:Full from:2012 till:end text:Shenandoah (2012–present)

bar:20 color:AssocOS from:2015 till:2018 text:Ferrum (2018–2025)

bar:20 color:Full from:2018 till:2025

bar:20 color:OtherC1 from:2025 till:end text:CC

bar:21 shift:(-130) color:AssocF from:2019 till:2021 text:Southern Virginia (2019–2021; fb.)

bar:21 color:AssocOS from:2022 till:end text: (2022–present; m.wr.)

bar:22 color:Full from:2022 till:end text:Averett (2022–present)

bar:23 shift:(-30) color:AssocF from:2025 till:2026 text:Gallaudet (2025–2026)

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TextData =

fontsize:M

textcolor:black

pos:(0,20) tabs:(400-center)

text:^"Old Dominion Athletic Conference membership history"

  1. > If the chart uses more than one bar color, add a legend by selecting the appropriate fields from the following three options (use only the colors that are used in the graphic.) Leave a blank line after the end of the timeline, then add a line with the selected values from the list, separated by a space.

<#

</timeline>

Sports

The conference sponsors championships in the following sports:

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"

|+ Conference sports

!Sport||Men's||Women's

|-

|align="left"|Baseball|| ||

|-

|align="left"|Basketball|| ||

|-

|align="left"|Cross Country|| ||

|-

|align="left"|Equestrian|| ||

|-

|align="left"|Field Hockey|| ||

|-

|align="left"|Football|| ||

|-

|align="left"|Golf|| ||

|-

|align="left"|Lacrosse|| ||

|-

|align="left"|Soccer|| ||

|-

|align="left"|Softball|| ||

|-

|align="left"|Swimming|| ||

|-

|align="left"|Tennis|| ||

|-

|align="left"|Track and field (indoor)|| ||

|-

|align="left"|Track and field (outdoor)|| ||

|-

|align="left"|Volleyball || ||

|-

|align="left"|Wrestling|| ||

|}

References