Randolph-Macon saw its season come to a close on Thursday evening as the Yellow Jackets fell at Transylvania University, 3-0, in the first round of the NCAA Division III Women's Volleyball Tournament.
Randolph-Macon College will be the lone representative for the ODAC in the NCAA Division III Women's Volleyball Tournament, as announced by the NCAA on Monday afternoon. The Yellow Jackets will be making their ninth appearance on the national stage. They own an 8-8 mark from their previous berths.
ODAC champion Randolph-Macon College collected a pair of special individual honors and Virginia Wesleyan University garnered a league-high five all-conference honors to headline the 2022 All-ODAC Women's Volleyball Awards.
Yellow Jackets' outside Grace Parker earned ODAC Player of the Year distinction from the league's head coaches, while setter Milly Mach collected ODAC Rookie of the Year laurels. Averett University head coach Olivia Earls received ODAC Coach of the Year recognition, and Randolph College outside Tomi-Lauren McGinnis earned ODAC/Virginia Farm Bureau Insurance Scholar-Athlete of the Year honors from the conference's athletic communications personnel for a second straight season.
Fourth-seeded Randolph-Macon College is back atop the ODAC women's volleyball podium as the Yellow Jackets battled through three tough sets to defeat second-seeded Averett University, 3-0 (26-24, 25-21, 26-24), in Danville on Sunday afternoon.
The victory for Randolph-Macon (23-6) marks its seventh overall ODAC volleyball title and first since hoisting the last of three straight trophies in 2017. While the Yellow Jackets have now made 13 appearances in the final league match of the season, this was the first championship experience for Averett (20-11) since the Cougars joined the ODAC in July as the conference's 15th full-time member.
Week nine marks the final report of the season for field hockey, men's and women's soccer, and volleyball with those sports now entering the ODAC postseason. Those earning weekly honors for Monday, October 31, include (pictured, from left and top): Everett McCloskey and Shyenne Diaz from Virginia Wesleyan men's and women's soccer, Betty Boatwright from Washington and Lee field hockey, Grace Parker from Randolph-Macon volleyball, and Dalton Jobe and Brynn Martinson from W&L men's and women's swimming.
A pair of ties including one three-way stalemate dotted the final ODAC volleyball standings following play on Saturday morning and early afternoon. Virginia Wesleyan University was not involved in one of those tiebreaker scenarios as the Marlins went 11-1 through its league slate to secure the #1 seed in the upcoming ODAC Volleyball Tournament.
ODAC newcomer Averett University joined Randolph-Macon College and Washington and Lee University in a three-way tie at 10-2 for the next three seeds. The Cougars defeated both R-MC and W&L in their regular season matchups, awarding them the second seed in the eight-team field. The Generals went 1-1 in those matches, earning them the third seed. The Yellow Jackets round out the top four seeds in fourth position.
The final week of the ODAC regular season is upon us with field hockey, soccer, and volleyball completing action in week eight. Strong performances impacted standings greatly over the past seven days with brackets only a few days away from being revealed. Those earning weekly honors for Monday, October 24, include (pictured, from left and top): Samuel Bass and Lindsay White from Washington and Lee men's and women's soccer, Peyton Kirchner from Roanoke volleyball, Regan Leach and Ahmad Woodson from Lynchburg women's and men's swimming, and Kessa Romero from Lynchburg field hockey.
While swimming continues to find its feet during the second week of its season, ODAC fall sports are nearing their postseason tournaments with the conclusion of week seven. Those earning weekly honors for Monday, October 17, include (pictured, from left and top): Sydney Smith from Washington and Lee women's soccer, Brennan Lagana from Lynchburg men's soccer, Sydney Heifner from W&L women's volleyball, Paige McBoyle and Dalton Jobe from W&L women's and men's swimming, and Saige Bullock from Roanoke field hockey.
Swimming enters the weekly reporting process following week six of ODAC competition. Athletes in the pool are already performing like their fellow fall-season Division III standouts. Those earning weekly honors for Monday, October 10, include (pictured, from left and top): Luke Mega and Mac Joly from Lynchburg men's and women's soccer, Grace Vernarelli from Roanoke field hockey, Brynn Martinson and Will Hughes from Washington and Lee women's and men's swimming, and Sarah Marlowe from Averett women's volleyball.
Randolph-Macon College senior outside hitter Grace Parker was named the GameChanger/AVCA Division III National Player of the Week on Tuesday afternoon. She earned the honor after leading the Yellow Jackets to three ODAC wins and racking up 88 kills including a D-III season-high 34 in one match.
Weather played a part in the number of contests competed over the past week, but that did not stop ODAC student-athletes from treating fans to some strong performances in week five of the season. Those earning weekly honors for Monday, October 3, include (pictured, from left and top): Grace Parker from Randolph-Macon volleyball, Luke Mega from Lynchburg men's soccer, Kelsey Jones from Shenandoah field hockey, and Sydney Dombrovskis from Lynchburg women's soccer.
The first report of week four for ODAC teams and student-athletes features high scoring outputs and key contributions throughout all four sports. Those earning weekly honors for Monday, September 26, include (pictured, from left and top): Virginia Wesleyan University's Juan Tovar (men's soccer), Shenandoah University's Mairead McKibbin (field hockey), VWU's Morgan Ludovici (women's volleyball), and Roanoke College's MC Petrucelli (women's soccer).
We saw big time results from football on Sunday and that trend continues on Monday with some high-profile victories and individual performances to match. We also saw our first few ODAC contests in week three. Those earning ODAC Athlete of the Week for Monday, September 19 include (pictured, from left and top): Hampden-Sydney's Zakky Johnston (men's soccer), Randolph-Macon's Grace Parker (women's volleyball), Washington and Lee's Ann Riley Huber (women's soccer), and Lynchburg's Kayla Brady (field hockey).
We are just two weeks into the new campaign and already ODAC teams are posting some impressive results with outstanding individual performances from many student-athletes. A few of those are featured in this first Monday report of the 2022 season with (pictured from left and top) Shenandoah's Mairead McKibbin (field hockey), Guilford's Madison Green (women's soccer), Randolph-Macon's Teddy Westervelt (men's soccer) and Roanoke's Peyton Kirchner (women's volleyball) earning ODAC Athlete of the Week laurels.
The first full week of the 2022 season is in the books. ODAC student-athletes gave fans a treat with some near mid-season form in the early going, leading many to believe we are in for a banner campaign. Those earning ODAC Athlete of the Week awards for Tuesday, September 6, include (pictured, from left and top): Shyenne Diaz from Virginia Wesleyan women's soccer, Mairead McKibbin from Shenandoah field hockey, Abbey Clayton from VWU women's volleyball, Charles Scharf and Carolyn Todd from Washington and Lee cross country, and Kenny Robles from Lynchburg men's soccer.
Washington and Lee University has been in this position before. The Generals won their second straight conference title last season, marking the fourth time in program history that they have claimed consecutive crowns. Each of the previous three times featured at least three championships in succession, making it no surprise that W&L is the favorite to lift a third straight trophy as the leader of the 2022 ODAC Women's Volleyball Preseason Poll.
The Generals collected 144 total points powered by 12 first place votes following a vote of the league's 13 head coaches. Virginia Wesleyan University, last year's runner-up, received the remaining top nod on the way to 122 tallies. Randolph-Macon College sits just three ticks back with 119 markers. New ODAC member Averett University (106) and Bridgewater College (102) both eclipsed the 100-point plateau to round out the top-five.
The American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) announced its annual end of season women's volleyball awards last month following the completion of the fall 2021 campaign. Two ODAC stars received plaudits as Division III All-Americans.
Both of the conference's high honors winners don Randolph-Macon College colors. Middle blocker Sydney Koch and outside Hitter Grace Parker were both tabbed Honorable Mention All-Americans.
In the first round of the NCAA Tournament, 14th-ranked Southwestern hit over .300 in the third and fourth sets to oust the Washington and Lee volleyball team, 3-1, on Thursday at Emory University.
The NCAA women's volleyball tournament is back! Fans would have to turn back the clock to November 2019 for the last time an ODAC team had the chance to play for a national volleyball championship. The NCAA put an end to the event's hiatus with the announcement of the 2021 Division III field on Monday afternoon.
Washington and Lee University will the ODAC's lone representative in the 64-team field. The Generals earned their position via automatic qualification after winning their second straight and 18th overall ODAC title on Sunday afternoon.
Washington and Lee University collected a pair of special individual laurels and was joined by both Randolph-Macon College and Virginia Wesleyan University with five all-conference selections each to headline the 2021 All-ODAC Volleyball Awards.
Generals outside hitter Sydney Heifner earned ODAC Player of the Year honors, while longtime W&L mentor Bryan Snyder garnered ODAC Coach of the Year recognition. Marlins middle blocker Emma Claytor received ODAC Rookie of the Year plaudits, and Randolph College outside hitter Tomi-Lauren McGinnis was tabbed the ODAC/Virginia Farm Bureau Insurance Scholar-Athlete of the Year by the league's athletic communications personnel.
The top-seeded Washington and Lee volleyball team won the final five points of the match to sweep third-seeded Virginia Wesleyan, 3-0, and win the 2021 ODAC Championship on Sunday in Holekamp Gym.
Week nine marks the final report for field hockey, men's and women's soccer, and volleyball with ODAC tournaments in those sports either underway or beginning this week. Those earning ODAC Athlete of the Week awards for Monday, November 1, include (pictured from left): Grace Hayes from Bridgewater volleyball, Luke Mega from Lynchburg men's soccer, Adrianna Gunther from Virginia Wesleyan women's soccer, Devin Bateman from Washington and Lee men's swimming, Emilee Wooten from Roanoke field hockey, and Brynn Martinson from W&L women's swimming.
Washington and Lee University went unblemished through the 2021 regular season, earning the Generals the top seed entering the ODAC Volleyball Tournament next week. While the top-three seeds earned their positions straight from the league standings, four of the remaining five rankings required tiebreakers to finalize the event's eight-team field.
The ODAC fall regular season is nearly complete with conference teams completing their eighth week of action. Tournament fields are taking shape and swimmers are starting to hit their strides as they move into the bulk of their schedules. Those earning ODAC Athlete of the Week awards for Monday, October 25, include (pictured from left): Peyton Tysinger from Washington and Lee field hockey, Sydney Davis from Bridgewater women's soccer, Sydney Heifner from W&L volleyball, Todd Echols from W&L men's swimming, Caroline Baber from W&L women's swimming, and Michael Kutsanzira from W&L men's soccer.
We are down to the stretch run for ODAC fall sports following action in week seven. Men's soccer teams have just three conference games remaining before the close of the regular season next week, with field hockey, women's soccer, and volleyball not far behind in progressing their schedules. Those earning ODAC Athlete of the Week awards for Monday, October 18, include (pictured from top and left): Sydney Koch from Randolph-Macon volleyball, Ben Tate from Roanoke men's swimming, Mairead McKibbin from Shenandoah field hockey, Michael Kutsanzira from Washington and Lee men's soccer, Olivia Owens from R-MC women's soccer, and Susanna Price from Roanoke women's swimming.
Swimming opened its schedule during week six with the ODAC Relays signaling a start to the campaign. Fall sports are roughly halfway through their league slates as standings start to take shape with ODAC postseason play just a few weeks away. Those earning ODAC Athlete of the Week awards for Monday, October 11, include (pictured from left): Bhayle Kearns from Lynchburg men's soccer, Elizabeth McGee from Shenandoah women's soccer, Abigail Mahoney from Virginia Wesleyan volleyball, Kelsey Jones from Shenandoah field hockey, Sophia Rollo from Washington and Lee women's swimming, and Xavier Williams from Roanoke men's swimming.
The calendar may have flipped to a new month and the weather may be cooling a bit, but neither occurrence had any impact on ODAC student-athletes as their production levels stayed high through week five of the fall campaign. Those earning ODAC Athlete of the Week awards for Monday, October 4, include (pictured from left): Grace Parker from Randolph-Macon volleyball, Alix Allen from Lynchburg women's soccer, Griffin Potter from Virginia Wesleyan men's soccer, and Kayla Brady from Lynchburg field hockey.
Conference events are in full swing will all sports featuring multiple ODAC contests thru four weeks of the fall campaign. Those earning ODAC Athlete of the Week awards for Monday, September 27, include (pictured from left): Tess Muneses from Washington and Lee field hockey, Evan Blow from Randolph men's soccer, Amanda Wigboldy from Lynchburg women's soccer, and Paris Hutchinson from Eastern Mennonite volleyball.
League play kicked off for a few ODAC sports as teams progressed through the third week of the fall campaign. Those earning ODAC Athlete of the Week awards for Monday, September 20, include (pictured from left): Sydney Heifner from Washington and Lee volleyball, Olivia Owens from Randolph-Macon women's soccer, David Franco from Bridgewater men's soccer, and Jackie Lerro from Lynchburg field hockey.
Randolph-Macon Closes Season in NCAA First Round Loss at Transylvania
November 10, 2022Randolph-Macon saw its season come to a close on Thursday evening as the Yellow Jackets fell at Transylvania University, 3-0, in the first round of the NCAA Division III Women's Volleyball Tournament.
