FOREST, Va. --- The Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) is proud to announce the addition of Isaiah Rodgers to the conference office staff as its newest Director of Championships. Rodgers, a former football standout for league member Emory & Henry College, replaces Bethany Dannelly, who returns to her alma mater as the associate athletic director at Washington and Lee University following five years with the ODAC.
“I am excited to have Isaiah back in the ODAC,” said Commissioner Brad Bankston. “He interned in our office two years ago and made an instant impression on our membership. His close ties to the conference are an added bonus to his extensive background in event management, attained while in graduate school. He is the perfect fit to carry on the great work we have done with our championships structure, student-athlete engagement, and professional development programming. We look forward to his arrival.”
Rodgers returns to ODAC country following two years at Springfield College (Mass.) where he earned a Masters of Education with a concentration in athletic administration. He served as the graduate associate athletic administrator for the Pride where he gained valuable experience in a number of areas including event management and scheduling, marketing and promotions, fan engagement, student-athlete mentorship, and graphic design. Rodgers trained and supervised Springfield’s student worker staff and was integral in the planning and fulfillment of special events including the NEWMAC track & field championships, Springfield Hall of Fame Weekend, the Spalding Hoophall Classic in 2019 and 2020, and NCAA team send-offs and celebrations. He also chaired the Campus Engagement/Diversity & Inclusion sub-committee and assisted with Springfield’s Student-Athlete Leadership Team (SALT).
During his first summer at Springfield, the Canton, Ga. native added to his growing resumé as an athletic academic advisor intern at local NCAA Division I institution Kennesaw State University. Rodgers worked specifically with the football team, developing weekly schedules for individual athletes and supervising study hall and acclimatization processes for first-year students.
“It is truly a blessing to have the opportunity to come back to a conference that has done so much for me already in my experience,” explained Rodgers. “As a former student-athlete of the ODAC, I am very excited to give back and to help the growth of the conference and all of its member institutions. I am thankful for this opportunity and I couldn't dream of a better place to start my career.”
Rodgers got his first taste of collegiate athletics administration as a student-athlete at Emory & Henry, where he was a captain and four-year starter at running back for the Wasps football team, earning All-ODAC Second Team honors in 2017. He worked in the E&H athletic department as a multifaceted intern. He spearheaded special events for the Wasps baseball and softball teams, managed in-event promotions, and served as the Wasps social media coordinator.
Rodgers also operated the ODAC’s social media accounts as part of an internship with the conference office at select winter and spring championships in 2018. In addition to assisting with the operations of the ODAC basketball, softball, swimming, and track & field championships, Rodgers conducted post-game interviews following conference basketball tournament games in the Salem Civic Center. He also assisted the ODAC and City of Salem in hosting the 2018 NCAA Division III Men’s Basketball Championship semifinals and finals.
Rodgers is slated to begin his new role in the ODAC office on September 1, 2020.