Swimming was the first sport to see member schools compete and capture ODAC championship trophies in 2020-21, and now it is the first sport to recognize all-conference honors with the announcement of the 2021 All-ODAC Swimming Awards.
Roanoke College men and University of Lynchburg women claimed their first ODAC swimming titles on Sunday afternoon in Lynchburg, Va., capping two days of championship competition at the Liberty Natatorium on the campus of Liberty University.
The Maroons won 16-of-18 events on the way to 1,001.0 points in the men's standings. The Hornets split event victories with Roanoke in the women's competition with each school claiming nine events. Lynchburg earned 922.5 total points to top the women's standings.
The 2021 ODAC Swimming Championships are set for a new location and a new format as league teams go in search of the first conference championship trophies awarded this season.
For the first time in conference history, the ODAC championships will be competed at the Liberty Natatorium on the campus of Liberty University in Lynchburg, Va. Conference swimmers will compete over two days on Friday, March 5, and Sunday, March 7, in a timed finals format. Competition is slated to begin at 1:00 p.m. ET both days.
The largest reporting day of the season kicks off Week 7 of ODAC weekly awards. While this is the final report for basketball and swimming ahead of their postseason events this week, baseball and softball continue with the addition of football, lacrosse, and tennis augmenting this week's honorees. Those earning ODAC Athlete of the Week awards include (pictured from top and left): Grayson Overstreet from Emory & Henry football, Jared Medwar from Hampden-Sydney lacrosse, Hanna Hull from Virginia Wesleyan softball, Buzz Anthony from Randolph-Macon men's basketball, Daja Burgee from VWU softball, Trevor O'Neill from Lynchburg men's swimming, Christina Harris from LYN women's tennis, Brett Tharp from Bridgewater football, Kaitlyn Harley from Ferrum women's lacrosse, Owen Tappy from H-SC baseball, Alexis Hoppers from E&H women's basketball, Avery Neaves from LYN baseball, Claire Galloway from LYN women's swimming, and Jack Fishwick from Roanoke men's tennis.
Despite the weather still throwing wrinkles into ODAC schedules, new sports joined the weekly reports with more teams active over this period. With more sports playing, weekly awards reports will now feature on multiple days. Today, men's and women's basketball and men's and women's swimming are joined by baseball an softball. Those earning ODAC Athlete of the Week awards include (pictured from top and left): Hanna Hull from Virginia Wesleyan softball, William Brueggeman from Washington and Lee men's basketball, Kevin Ledford from Roanoke baseball, Jessica Goldyn from VWU softball, Matt Yarbrough from Ferrum baseball, Erin Hughes from W&L women's basketball, Cullen Beach from Bridgewater men's swimming, and Chloe Dewberry from VWU women's swimming.
The late surge of winter weather throughout the region has added to the chaos of schedules throughout the league, but ODAC athletes continue to appear unphased with some national-caliber showings and personal-best performances highlighting the past week's results. Those earning ODAC Athlete of the Week awards include (pictured from top and left): Maria Vinson from Roanoke women's swimming, Geni Roberts from Virginia Wesleyan men's track & field, Connor Kinkema from RC men's swimming, Kaitlin Measell and Andre Jackson from Shenandoah women's and men's track & field, Shirell Washington from VWU women's track & field, and Kasey Draper and Renee Alquiza from Roanoke men's and women's basketball.
Week four of ODAC competition featured some high-caliber performances with school records and personal-best outings dotting this week's honorees. Those earning ODAC Athlete of the Week awards include (pictured from top and left): Geni Roberts from Virginia Wesleyan men's indoor track & field, Abby Oguich from Lynchburg women's basketball, Josh Talbert from Randolph-Macon men's basketball, Kimberly Large and Connor Kinkema from Roanoke women's and men's swimming, Bailey Casto and Frank Csorba from Lynchburg women's and men's indoor track & field, and Alison Moreau from RC women's indoor track & field.
Week two of the spring campaign sees men's and women's basketball early season action join continued swimming competition. Those earning weekly awards this week include (pictured from top and left): T.C. Thacker from Lynchburg men's basketball, Aimee DeBell from Randolph-Macon women's basketball, and Cat Sweigart and Blake Madaris from Emory & Henry women's and men's swimming.
The first ODAC Athletes of the Week of the 2020-21 academic year come at a much different time than we're accustomed, but conference athletes prove it doesn't matter what time you start as long as you do. The opening events in indoor track & field and swimming featured some outstanding efforts. Those earning weekly honors in indoor track & field and swimming including (pictured from top and left): Kimberly Large from Roanoke swimming, Isaac Alderfer from Eastern Mennonite track & field, Ben Tate from RC swimming, Lauren Anderson and Julian Douglas from Lynchburg track & field, and Rebecca Doran from Shenandoah track & field.
The City of Salem has long been touted as "Virginia's Championship City" for its history of hosting NCAA championship events in conjunction with the ODAC. There will be plenty of additional evidence to back up that moniker over the next half-decade.
Recently graduated Washington and Lee University swimming Emily Hageboeck was named a top-30 finalist for the NCAA Woman of the Year award, as announced by the NCAA on Thursday afternoon.