FOREST, Va. --- The Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) office added a new member to its team over the past week as Commissioner Brad Bankston is pleased to announce the hiring of Bethany Dannelly as the Director of Championships. Dannelly, a former women's basketball student-athlete from Washington and Lee University, replaces Mollie Robertson, who held the same position for the previous six years.
As the Director of Championships, Dannelly will be responsible for the logistics and organization surrounding the ODAC's 24 championship events. She will also have responsibilities with vendors associated with certain ODAC sports in terms of ball and equipment contracts. Additionally, she will serve as the main liaison with the seven supervisors that assign officials for eight conference sports and administer the financial accounts associated with those disciplines.
"We are pleased to welcome Bethany back to the ODAC," explained Commissioner Bankston. "Her broad knowledge of the conference, having played basketball at Washington and Lee University, along with her Division III coaching background makes her the perfect fit for this position. I look forward to seeing her apply that knowledge into action as we continue to improve operations of the conference office and provide an excellent atmosphere for our student-athletes."
Prior to returning to the ODAC, Dannelly spent the past four years as the assistant women's basketball coach at Colby College. She was responsible for several aspects of the Mules' program, including recruiting coordination, gameday preparation and practice planning. Colby posted a 50-49 record during her tenure.
Dannelly spent the 2010-11 season as the Assistant Director of Operations and Video Coordinator for the University of Virginia women's basketball program under former mentor Debbie Ryan. Dannelly contributed three years to the Cavaliers, the first two as a graduate assistant while completing a master's degree in exercise physiology. While at UVA, she was the head coach of the University of Virginia club basketball program, earning an 87-3 record and two semifinals berths over three seasons.
Before her time at UVA, Dannelly was a math and physical education instructor at Hampton Roads Academy. She was the head JV girls basketball coach and an assistant coach on the varsity team from 2005 to 2008.
"I am very excited about the opportunity to work in the ODAC office as the Director of Championships," Dannely expressed. "The ODAC has established itself as one of the premier Division III athletic conferences in the country, so I feel privileged to serve the ODAC in this capacity. I am looking forward to working with all of the member institutions and contributing to the ODAC's tradition of excellence."
Dannelly graduated from Washington and Lee in 2005 with a bachelor's degree in psychology, having also completed a semester abroad at Bond University in Australia in 2003. A two-year captain and four-year starting point for the Generals' women's basketball team, Dannelly holds program records in career assists (459) and steals (197), as well as single-season assists (152) from the 2001-02 campaign. She was a three-time member of the ODAC All-Academic Team.
Dannelly Returns to the ODAC as Director of Championships
Posted: Aug 12, 2015