The Official ODAC Podcast

ODAC Podcast - February 6, 2009

2009-02-07T12:56:00.002-05:00

Brad and J.J. return with a little bit of everything in this edition of the ODAC Podcast. Guiford men's basketball head coach, Tom Palombo, and Roanoke women's mentor, Susan Dunagan, provide their views into their teams and the conference hoops scene as the season nears the 2009 tournament. Swimming is just a week away from its championship, and indoor track has hit its stride with some of the ODAC's elite already qualify for the D-III championships.

Tom Palombo is on the sidelines for his sixth season at Guilford, his 19th year overall in collegiate basketball. Palombo guided the Quakers to their first ODAC men’s basketball tournament title in 2008, earning a spot in the NCAA Division III Tournament for the second year in a row. Palombo’s Quakers went 31-5 in ODAC play from 2006 to 2008, winning 24 games overall in both campaigns. Palombo earned his second ODAC Coach of the Year Award in 2006-07.

Susan Dunagan is in her 28th season running the women’s program at Roanoke College. Her teams have won an ODAC record 13 conference titles including five straight from 1991-1995. She has been named the ODAC Coach of the Year six times. Dunagan opened the 2008-09 season as one of only nine NCAA Division III coaches with 500 or more victories. She is the winningest coach all-time amongst ODAC coaches in terms of overall victories, winning percentage and ODAC Tournament victories.

For this and future editions of the ODAC Podcast, visit the ODAC Podcast Blog site each week (http://odac-podcast.blogspot.com), or sign-up for the ODAC Podcast via iTunes! You can also get updates automatically by adding the RSS feed to your homepage (yahoo, MSN, etc) or to Microsoft Outlook!

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ODAC Podcast - January 13, 2009

2009-01-13T17:35:00.003-05:00

Welcome back to the ODAC Podcast for the first show of 2009! Brad and J.J. jump right into the progress of men's and women's basketball coming out of the holiday season and into the first two weeks of action in the New Year.

Parity has been a growing trend for several years across the league with this season proving no different. Depth of talent remains consistent on both sides of the ODAC hoops profile with teams up and down the ranks eager to knock off one another.

The men's side is full of streaking squads as Roanoke sits atop the standings with a 5-0 ODAC record and a 12-game winning streak intact following its 80-76 win over Guilford. That loss snapped the Quakers' six-game run. Randolph-Macon is just about as hot as the Maroons, having strung together nine straight victories. Virginia Wesleyan shook off some early season growing pains and has won six consecutive contests. Eastern Mennonite, Washington & Lee and Bridgewater all have put together solid games over the past few weeks and look to make a jump up the standings.

The women's contingent traded jabs at the top of the league rankings. Virginia Wesleyan remains in the lead position, but a one-point loss to Roanoke gave the Marlins their first ODAC blemish. The Maroons opened the week unbeaten in conference play as well, but a pair of losses to Lynchburg and Randolph-Macon brought them into a three-way tie with Eastern Mennonite and R-MC for second. EMU has remained solid all season in posting its impressive record, while the Yellow Jackets regrouped following a three-game skid with three consecutive wins. Washington & Lee is knocking on the door of second place as wins over Lynchburg and Randolph-Macon have the Generals poised for a run at the top. Guilford, Bridgewater and LC each have at least three ODAC wins, putting them in good position to make a move north.

For this and future editions of the ODAC Podcast, visit the ODAC Podcast Blog site each week (http://odac-podcast.blogspot.com), or sign-up for the ODAC Podcast via iTunes! You can also get updates automatically by adding the RSS feed to your homepage (yahoo, MSN, etc) or to Microsoft Outlook!

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ODAC Podcast - Stagg Bowl - December 18, 2008

2008-12-18T17:47:00.004-05:00

Welcome to the special Stagg Bowl edition of the ODAC Podcast. The NCAA Division III Football Championship is in Salem for the 16th time since 1993, and the week’s festivities have begun in preparation for the 36 Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl. Mount Union College (14-0) and UW-Whitewater (13-1) again take to the field at Salem Stadium, marking the fourth straight appearance for both schools in the national title game.

Media pressers took up the late morning and early afternoon hours on Thursday. Brad and J.J. had plenty to talk about with the season’s final gridiron showdown in their backyard. J.J. had a chance to sit down with Carey Harveycutter, the Director of Civic Facilities at the Salem Civic Center and the tournament director for each of the national championships hosted in Salem. The two not only talked about this season’s Stagg Bowl, but also dove into Salem’s championship history and Mr. Harveycutter’s view into the NCAA tournaments in the Roanoke Valley.

Pat Coleman, the editor and publisher of D3football.com, provided the podcast with a bit more content as he had a chance to chat with both head coaches. Mount Union’s Larry Kehres is in his 23rd season as the Purple Raider head man. He currently stands as the winningest coach in any NCAA Division in terms of winning percentage (274-21-3 for a .924 winning mark), and he’ll be going after his 275th career win and 10th D-III national title. UW-Whitewater’s Lance Leipold has made the most of his first two seasons on the Warhawk sidelines, winning the Stagg Bowl in his first try last year and returning to final game this season. A former quarterback for UW-W, Leipold is just one win away from leveling the all-time Stagg Bowl record between Mount Union and UW-Whitewater (MUC won in 2005 and 2006, UW-W in 2007).

For more information on the Stagg Bowl, visit www.ncaa.com or the Stagg Bowl website at www.odaconline.com/staggbowl.

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ODAC Podcast - December 17, 2008

2008-12-17T11:28:00.003-05:00

Basketball is bouncing through the minds of Brad and J.J. as they sit down to chat about the early stages of the league’s round ball season in this edition of the ODAC Podcast. The podcast includes a run-down of the ODAC’s standings and pre-recorded interviews with Roanoke College men’s coach, Page Moir, and Eastern Mennonite University women’s coach, Kevin Griffin.

Moir has his Maroons off to a strong start, currently 8-1 overall and 2-0 in conference play. J.J. got a chance to speak with the RC mentor following the Maroons’ victory over Hampden-Sydney College. Moir touched on the state of his team, a view of early league play, and the excitement that the league’s new tournament format could provide come the end of the season.

Much the same as Moir, EMU’s Griffin has his Royals playing some of the league’s best basketball, evidenced by their 7-1 overall record and 2-1 conference mark. Brad and J.J. spoke with Griffin a few days following the squad’s contest with Virginia Wesleyan. Aside from talking about that game, Griffin gave some insight into his team and a look at the women’s side of the league.

For this and future editions of the ODAC Podcast, visit the ODAC Podcast Blog site each week (http://odac-podcast.blogspot.com), or sign-up for the ODAC Podcast via iTunes! You can also get updates automatically by adding the RSS feed to your homepage (yahoo, MSN, etc) or to Microsoft Outlook!

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ODAC Podcast - November 21, 2008

2008-11-21T15:15:00.003-05:00

It's flex time across the nation as fall sports are heavy into their respective national tournaments. At the same time, basketball is moving through the first couple of weeks of its regular season schedules. Brad and J.J. give some insight into the ODAC's representation in NCAA play as well as take the time to talk a little ODAC basketball. They also get a chance to catch up with Gregg Bennett, the league's supervisor of basketball officials.

Bennett plays in integral part in the conference's basketball procedings, ensuring the assignment of high-quality officiating for the ODAC's high-profile hoops action. Bennett has facilitated the league's officials for the past eight years, and took the time on Thursday to give his view into ODAC basketball from an officiating standpoint.

Four NCAA tournaments still boast ODAC talent heading into the weekend. Lynchburg's Ricky Flynn represents the league in the NCAA Division III Men's Cross Country Championship while Washington and Lee teammates Jessica Shaw and Elizabeth Webb take to the Hanover, Indiana, course in the NCAA Division III Women's Cross Country Championship.

Lynchburg also features one of two ODAC teams still alive in competition with the nationally third-ranked Hornets set to face Ithaca in the NCAA Division III Women's Soccer Tournament round of 16. A victory would put LC one win away from the national semifinals held in Greensboro, North Carolina, on December 5.

Randolph-Macon earned an extension of its season by claiming the ODAC football crown. The Yellow Jackets enter the NCAA Division III Football Tournament with a first round date with Mount Union College, nine-time winners of the Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl. That first round matchup will take place Saturday, November 22, at 12:00 p.m. in Alliance, Ohio.

For this and future editions of the ODAC Podcast, visit the ODAC Podcast Blog site each week (http://odac-podcast.blogspot.com), or sign-up for the ODAC Podcast via iTunes! You can also get updates automatically by adding the RSS feed to your homepage (yahoo, MSN, etc) or to Microsoft Outlook!

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ODAC Podcast - November 12, 2008

2008-11-12T16:12:00.003-05:00

Fall championships are under wraps, but there is still plenty for Brad and J.J. to talk about in this edition of the ODAC Podcast. The ODAC duo delve into this week's NCAA Division III Tournament contests, talk a little ODAC Football as the season comes to head, and touch on the beginning of men's and women's basketball.

The ODAC is represented by at least one team in the field hockey, men's and women's soccer, and volleyball national tournaments. Lynchburg squares off with Sewanee in the field hockey first round, looking to move to 2-0 against the Tigers this season. A win would send the Hornets to #2 Ursinus.

Virginia Wesleyan opens men's soccer action this weekend against N.C. Wesleyan. The Marlins fell to the Battling Bishops, 1-0, earlier in the season. A redemption victory would send VWC to Georgia to face #4 Emory.

Both Lynchburg and Virginia Wesleyan earned spots in the women's soccer tourney. Lynchburg, ranked third in the country, hosts first and second round fixtures that feature Maryville (Tenn.), St. Mary's (Md.) and Emory. The Hornets open with Maryville in the first round. Virginia Wesleyan, the #10 team in the nation, matches up with #23 Richard Stockton. A win would mean a date with either Meredith or #7 Johns Hopkins.

Washington and Lee heads to Wittenberg for its opening round of action in the NCAA Volleyball Tournament. The Generals begin with Mt. St. Joseph, whom they defeated earlier in the season. Also at that site will be Frostburg State, Westminster, Muskingum, #8 Ohio Northern, #5 Wittenberg, and #3 Washington-St. Louis, the defending national champion.

ODAC Football enters its final weekend with four teams in the hunt for the conference's top record, three of which have a chance to earn the league's automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament. Catholic remains in the driver's seat and would advance with a victory, but a little help just could pave the way for Hampden-Sydney or Randolph-Macon to make a trip to the postseason.

Men's and women's basketball opens this weekend with all teams ready to go following a month of preseason practices. Randolph-Macon owns the top spot in both ODAC preseason polls, but with the depth of talent on either side, no team should be counted out as a title contender come tournament time in February.

For this and future editions of the ODAC Podcast, visit the ODAC Podcast Blog site each week (http://odac-podcast.blogspot.com), or sign-up for the ODAC Podcast via iTunes! You can also get updates automatically by adding the RSS feed to your homepage (yahoo, MSN, etc) or to Microsoft Outlook!

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ODAC Podcast - November 7, 2008

2008-11-12T15:47:00.003-05:00

The ODAC crowns four new champions on Saturday as the fall conference sports approach NCAA Division III Tournament action. After diving into cross country, field hockey and women's soccer last week, Brad and J.J. take a hard look at men's soccer and volleyball in this edition of the ODAC Podcast.

Roanoke mentor Scott Allison lends his expertise in ODAC men's soccer. In the midst of his 23rd season running the Maroons, Allison gives us a look at this weekend's ODAC Championship featuring Roanoke and Virginia Wesleyan College. Both squads will be vying for their ninth overall conference title, but it will be Roanoke that tries to make it two straight years of hardware accumulation.

With the ODAC Volleyball Championship beginning on Friday, November 7, Emory & Henry head coach Cassie Pochyla lets us in on her view of the tournament as the coaches' committee chair. She also takes the time to speak of her Wasps program, which enters the tourney as the sixth seed and a quarterfinal date with Virginia Wesleyan.

For this and future editions of the ODAC Podcast, visit the ODAC Podcast Blog site each week (http://odac-podcast.blogspot.com), or sign-up for the ODAC Podcast via iTunes! You can also get updates automatically by adding the RSS feed to your homepage (yahoo, MSN, etc) or to Microsoft Outlook!

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ODAC Podcast - October 31, 2008

2008-10-31T15:37:00.003-04:00

Brad Bankston and J.J. Nekoloff are short on tricks, but offer plenty of championship treats in this Halloween edition of the ODAC Podcast. Fall championships have come upon us with tournament action beginning Saturday, November 1. Brad and J.J. had the opportunity to speak with three of the league’s head coaches, going in-depth in women’s soccer, field hockey, and men’s and women’s cross country.

The league’s harriers will decide their conference champions this weekend at Virginia Wesleyan College. Roanoke’s Finn Pincus took the time to handicap this year’s cross country races, lending insight into who we might see cross the finish line first, whether they be one of his Maroons or any of a host of talented runners that take to the 6K (women) and 8K (men) courses in Virginia Beach.

Field Hockey and men’s and women’s soccer open quarterfinal action on Saturday and continue through their championship contests on November 8. Crystal Carper talked to us about the ODAC field hockey scene as her Yellow Jackets prepare for action as the third seeding heading into the tourney. Jeff Bowers did the same for women’s soccer. His Marlins are ranked 11th in the nation and second in the region, earning them the #1 seed going into ODAC tournament.

To stay up to date on all of the tournament action, visit each of the competing schools’ websites from time-to-time. You can also browse to the ODAC’s Fall Championship website by clicking HERE!

For this and future editions of the ODAC Podcast, visit the ODAC Podcast Blog site each week (http://odac-podcast.blogspot.com), or sign-up for the ODAC Podcast via iTunes! You can also get updates automatically by adding the RSS feed to your homepage (yahoo, MSN, etc) or to Microsoft Outlook!

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ODAC Podcast - October 24, 2008

2008-10-24T20:03:00.002-04:00

Fall sports are winding down and standings are as tight as ever as Brad Bankston and J.J. Nekoloff take a few minutes to size up the current ODAC athletic picture. Field hockey and men’s and women’s soccer begin their tournaments with quarterfinal action on Saturday, November 1, with competition in the league not lending a single confirmed seed for any.

Although still undecided, football lends the most wide-open setting at the moment with Hampden-Sydney sitting at the top with a 4-0 conference mark and 7-0 overall record. Brad and J.J. had the opportunity to speak with Tigers’ head coach, Marty Favret, on Friday as his squad prepares for a very important matchup with Catholic University. The Cardinals, at 5-1 overall and 1-1 in ODAC play, enter the contest with two weeks of preparation time thanks to their scheduled bye week. Offense should be the highlight of the game as the two foes stand 1-2 in the league in points scored, both averaging better than 30 points per game.

For this and future editions of the ODAC Podcast, visit the ODAC Podcast Blog site each week (http://odac-podcast.blogspot.com), or sign-up for the ODAC Podcast via iTunes! You can also get updates automatically by adding the RSS feed to your homepage (yahoo, MSN, etc) or to Microsoft Outlook!

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ODAC Podcast - October 17, 2008

2008-10-17T15:34:00.003-04:00

In this edition of the ODAC Podcast, J.J. Nekoloff and Brad Bankston are joined by Sara Rechnitzer as they take a small step away from the playing fields and performance courts to peer behind the scenes into NCAA Division III. Brad spends a few minutes talking with Dan Dutcher, Vice President for NCAA Division III, while J.J. and Sara catch up with Washington and Lee senior, Isaiah Goodman, who serves as President of the Generals’ Student Athlete Advisory Council (SAAC).

Dutcher is the Vice President for NCAA Division III serving as the top D-III administrator at the NCAA office in Indianapolis, Indiana. He is responsible for all governance issues involving D-III committees and serves as the direct contact to the division's president and management councils. Over the past few years, Dutcher has been an integral part of the on-going Division III membership study. He is a graduate of Notre Dame University and earned a law degree from the University of Kansas. Dutcher's career in the NCAA started in membership services prior to evolving to his D-III leadership role when the national association federated its structure in 1997.

Goodman is a three-time letter-winner as a point guard for Washington and Lee’s men’s basketball team. He is the President and a founding member of the schools’ SAAC as well as a participating member of the ODAC conference SAAC. On the national level, Goodman is one of 22 members of the NCAA Division III SAAC, focusing on issues and legislation that affects the division as a whole. Some of the topics discussed during Goodman’s tenure include the D-III membership structure and its future, nutrition, “going green,” and athletic leadership scholarships. Goodman recently participated in the NCAA Division III Leadership Conference in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

For this and future editions of the ODAC Podcast, visit the ODAC Podcast Blog site each week (http://odac-podcast.blogspot.com), or sign-up for the ODAC Podcast via iTunes! You can also get updates automatically by adding the RSS feed to your homepage (yahoo, MSN, etc) or to Microsoft Outlook!

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ODAC Podcast - October 10, 2008

2008-10-10T15:30:00.002-04:00

In this edition of the ODAC Podcast, J.J. Nekoloff and Brad Bankston go in-depth into field hockey and men's soccer. The podcast features interviews with Eastern Mennonite field hockey player, Sarah Roth, and Randolph College head men's soccer coach, Bryan Waggoner.

Roth is a junior midfielder on the Royals' field hockey team. A team captain this year, Roth has played in and started every EMU contest since her freshman year... 48 straight games and counting! Although she scored her second goal of the season in EMU's 5-1 win over Bridgewater on Tuesday night, filling up the stat sheet isn't her forte this season. Rather, she's been a stabilizing force in the midfield, helping the Royals balance a solid offensive attack and stifling defensive pressure with crisp passing and quick transitions from one half of the field to the other.

Coach Waggoner has met a tall task head-on at Randolph, starting the men's soccer program from scratch in 2007. That first team showed plenty of promise in its inaugural season, posting wins over Ferrum and Southern Virginia as well as a 0-0 draw with Hampden-Sydney. Coach Waggoner, who was a former assistant at NCAA D-I University of Richmond and D-III Linfield College, and his WildCats have already bettered their record this year with a 6-6 overall mark and a 3-2 showing in ODAC play. Their season continues with a rematch at Hampden-Sydney this weekend as they go in search of an ODAC tournament bid.

For this and future editions of the ODAC Podcast, visit the ODAC Podcast Blog site each week (http://odac-podcast.blogspot.com), or sign-up for the ODAC Podcast via iTunes! You can also get updates automatically by adding the RSS feed to your homepage (yahoo, MSN, etc) or to Microsoft Outlook!

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ODAC Podcast - October 3, 2008

2008-10-03T11:40:00.003-04:00

In this edition of the ODAC Podcast, J.J. Nekoloff and Brad Bankston round up the past week in ODAC fall sports. They get in-depth in volleyball and cross country with interviews from a pair of the league’s head coaches.

Bryan Snyder is in his ninth season at the helm of the Washington and Lee University volleyball program… a very successful tenure at that. Snyder won six straight ODAC Volleyball Coach of the Year awards from 2001-2006, and has amassed a 247-58 record while at W&L. Combined with his 41 wins while the head man at St. Mary’s, Snyder is the youngest coach in any NCAA division to reach 250 career wins. His Generals have won seven straight ODAC titles and are currently on a 14-match ODAC regular season winning streak. Last season’s loss to Bridgewater in W&L’s first conference match of the season snapped a 62-match conference regular season winning streak that dated back to the 2000 season.

Mat Littleton is in his fifth season as the head coach of the men and women’s cross country teams at Virginia Wesleyan College. Littleton has helped rebuild the Marlin programs throughout his tenure, seeing both individual standouts and depth of talent aid VWC’s climb within the conference ranks. This season, the Marlin runners have continued to make progress and reset school records including a new women’s rookie standard in six-kilometer runs in which the athlete bettered her own personal time by 3:37.

For this and future editions of the ODAC Podcast, visit this site each week (http://odac-podcast.blogspot.com), or sign-up for the ODAC Podcast via iTunes! You can also get updates automatically by adding the RSS feed to your homepage (yahoo, MSN, etc) or to Microsoft Outlook!

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ODAC Podcast - September 26, 2008

2008-09-26T15:59:00.002-04:00

Welcome to the first ODAC Podcast of the 2008-09 athletic year! In this installment, Brad Bankston and J.J. Nekoloff talk fall sports as each prepares to move into the conference portion of their respective schedules. Learn where teams are ranked nationally and regionally, and also hear from a pair of the ODAC’s top student-athletes.

Lynchburg junior Katelyn LeRiche is a defender on the Hornets women’s soccer team. Rated first in the South Region and second in the nation by the NSCAA (National Soccer Coaches Association of America), Katelyn and her LC teammates look to eclipse last season’s NCAA Division III final eight showing.

Record-setting running Josh Simpson spearheads the top-scoring offense in ODAC football, having already added 10 more total touchdowns to his ODAC-record 62 scores coming into the campaign. The Hampden-Sydney senior and his Tiger comrades look to bring the school’s sixth conference championship to central Virginia and make a deeper run in the NCAA Division III tournament.

For this and future editions of the ODAC Podcast, visit this site each week (http://odac-podcast.blogspot.com), or sign-up for the ODAC Podcast via iTunes! You can also get updates automatically by adding the RSS feed to your yahoo!, MSN or other homepage!

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ODAC Podcast - February 29, 2008

2008-02-29T20:46:00.005-05:00

It's all about basketball in this installment of the ODAC Podcast! The ODAC Men's and Women's Basketball Tournaments are underway in Salem, Virginia, and Brad and J.J. speak with several of the recently chosen ODAC All-Conference players and coaches. Randolph-Macon College duo Molly Ariail and Amanda Hiltunen joined Virginia Wesleyan College head coach Stephany Dunmyer in a group interview the day before the women's quarterfinals began. Brad caught up with Guilford College mentor Tom Palombo to speak of his team's #1 ranking on the men's side. He also chatted with the Quakers' Ben Strong and had a few words with Washington and Lee University head coach Adam Hutchinson.

Ariail, only a sophomore, was chosen the ODAC’s top rookie as in 2007 before earning the league's Player of the Year award for this season. She finished second in the league in scoring at 16.3 points per game and fourth in rebounding at 8.4 boards a night. She led her team in scoring 13 times and collected one ODAC Player of the Week award.

Hiltunen was named the 2008 All-ODAC second team as well as earning the ODAC/Farm Bureau Scholar-Athlete award. In the classroom, the junior guard boasts a 3.73 grade point average while majoring in political science with a minor in journalism. On the court, Hiltunen put up 12.9 points per game and led the conference in both field goal percentage at 51.1-percent and free throw shooting at 86.7-percent. She was also third in the league in assists at 3.96 per contest.

Coach Dunmyer up her second ODAC Coach of the Year honor after winning the league’s top award in 2006. She led her team to the 20 win mark for the second consecutive season, the first time the Marlin program had accomplished such a feat since the 1988 and 1989 seasons. With a 17-3 conference record, her team set a program mark for wins within league play.

Strong adds the 2008 ODAC Player of the Year award to an ever-growing mantle of honors. Aside from winning last year's ODAC top accolade, he also picked up a pair of National Player of the Year awards (one shared) from the NABC and D3hoops.com. This year, he is still on the radar for more national player of the year honors and is also a finalist for the prestigious Jostens Trophy. He currently leads the ODAC in scoring, rebounding and blocked shots, and is also ranked nationally in those categories.

Hutchinson, in his fifth season at Washington and Lee, earns his first ODAC Coach of the Year award. He led his team to an overall mark or 15-10 and a conference record of 11-7 which is good enough for the fifth seed in this weekend’s tournament. His squad’s 11-7 mark in the ODAC marks the school’s best conference season since 1988-89.

Tom Palombo won the ODAC's top coaching honor last season and led his Quakers within one game of the national semifinals. Guilford is seeded #1 as play begins in the ODAC tournament.

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ODAC Podcast - February 22, 2008

2008-02-22T22:52:00.002-05:00

In this installment of the ODAC Podcast, J.J. Nekoloff and Brad Bankston dedicate the entire program to indoor track and the upcoming ODAC Championships at Liberty University on February 29. Roanoke’s Finn Pincus and Robin Yerkes talk women’s track while Bridgewater’s Shane Stevens and Melvin Queen tackle the men’s side.

Pincus is in his 12th season as Maroons’ head coach. He has won six ODAC Coach of the Year awards through his mentorship of the Roanoke men and women’s track teams as well as the cross country teams. Pincus’ women’s squad features several national caliber athletes including the 2007 ODAC Athlete and Rookie of the Year, Yerkes. Yerkes won the 200-meter dash at last season’s ODAC indoor meet as well as the 100-meter and 200-meter events at the ODAC outdoor championships. She and three of her teammates took their acts to the national championships where they finished second in the nation in the 4x100-meter relay with a time of 46.67 seconds. Yerkes currently holds ODAC seasonal top times in the 55-meter, 60-meter, 100-meter, 200-meter, 400-meter and 500-meter events.

Stevens is in his 25th season as architect of the Bridgewater track program. He has won nine ODAC Coach of the Year honors on the men’s side as well as four more from his women’s coaching days. Stevens’ men last won the ODAC crown in 1997. Queen is a two-time winner of the indoor 55-meter dash, having won in both 2006 (6.50 sec.) and 2007 (6.42 sec.). Outdoors, he’s captured the past three 100-meter dash titles, posting times of 11.12 seconds (2005), 10.83 seconds (2006) and 10.73 seconds (2007).

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ODAC Podcast - February 15, 2008

2008-02-15T18:19:00.007-05:00

Welcome to the ODAC Podcast! In this installment of the ODAC Podcast, Brad Bankston and J.J. Nekoloff talk ODAC swimming and basketball. J.J. shares a few words with a pair of Washington & Lee standout swimmers, Amy Roberson and Lindsey Strachan. They chat about several topics including what it's like to be a Generals' swimmer, how it's been competing under new head coach Kami Garden, and what we should all expect from the ODAC/Atlantic States Swimming Championships taking place at Radford University Feb. 15-17. Later in the show, J.J. speaks with Guilford big man Ben Strong about Quaker basketball, his successes and the upcoming ODAC Basketball Tournament.

Roberson is a three-time All-ODAC swimmer from Nacogdoches, Texas. She earned the 2007 ODAC/Farm Bureau Scholar-Athlete award, boasting at that time a 3.864 grade point average while double-majoring in psychology and sociology. She is a W&L record holder as a member of four relay teams, helped the Generals to victories in the 200-yard medley and 200-yard free relays at the 2007 championship meet, and placed third individually in the 100-yard butterfly in that same meet.

Strachan, from Midlothian, Virginia, is a two-time All-ODAC swimmer and the 2006 ODAC Rookie of the Year. Going into the 2008 championship meet, she held the ODAC's seasonal top times in the 50-yard, 100-yard and 200-yard backstroke events. She won the 200-yard backstroke at the 2007 championship meet, also swimming as a member of the winning 200-yard medley and 400-yard free relay teams. Strachan is a Washington & Lee scholar-athlete as well as a member of the ODAC honor roll. She is a political science major.

Ben Strong, from Chapel Hill, North Carolina, was named the 2007 ODAC Player of the Year and garnered national player of the year honors from D3hoops.com and the NABC. Strong recently moved into second place on the Guilford all-time scoring list and currently leads the ODAC in scoring (25.7 ppg), rebounding (11.0 rpg) and blocked shots (2.29 bpg). He led his team within one game of the NCAA Division III semifinals last season. Along the way, Strong scored a career-high 59 points against Lincoln in a triple-overtime playoff victory.

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ODAC Podcast - February 8, 2008

2008-02-08T16:20:00.000-05:00

Welcome to the ODAC Podcast! In this installment of the ODAC Podcast, the ODAC staff discusses the upcoming swimming and indoor track championships. Lynchburg's Dr. Jack Toms and Randolph's Donna Hodgert share their thoughts on the upcoming ODAC winter championship events.

Dr. Toms is in his 30th year with the Hornets, having served as the men and women's coach during his tenure. Also the LC athletics director, Dr. Toms has coached 79 All-Americans and 11 national champions including 2001 NCAA Male Athlete of the Year, James Goss, and 2001 NCAA MVP, Kevin Smith. Dr. Toms has 61 conference and 25 NCAA Regional Coach of the Year awards. He was recognized in 1995 as the Commonwealth of Virginia top track and field coach with the Walt Cormack Award for success at the college level.

Donna Hodgert has been associated with Randolph swimming since 1997. She has been the head coach of the WildCat program since the 2000 season. Her teams have finished third in the ODAC/Atlantic States Swimming Championships three out of the past four seasons. She earned ODAC Coach of the Year honors in 2004 and mentored two-time ODAC Swimmer of the Year, Kim Edmonds. Prior to coaching, Hodgert was an All-American swimmer at Sweet Briar College.

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ODAC Podcast - February 1, 2008

2008-02-01T13:15:00.000-05:00

Welcome to the official Old Dominion Athletic Conference Podcast! This week, Brad Bankston and J.J. Nekoloff chat with two of the ODAC's most successful men's and women's basketball coaches -- Page Moir and Carroll LaHaye

Roanoke College mentor Page Moir recently coached his 500th game for the Maroons. He's got his squad in the midst of a race for the top spot in ODAC men's basketball tournament. Five teams have themselves placed within a half-game of the conference lead and the top seed in the ODAC Championship.

Randolph-Macon College head coach Carroll LaHaye finds her Yellow Jackets in a similar battle for supremacy on the women's side. R-MC sits alone at the top with a 10-1 conference mark, but Eastern Mennonite and Virginia Wesleyan continue to bear down on the defending champions.

Listen in as each coach gives insight into the conference picture.

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ODAC Podcast - January 24, 2008

2008-01-24T18:59:00.000-05:00

Welcome to the official Old Dominion Athletic Conference podcast! This week, marking the first ODAC Podcast, Brad Bankston and J.J. Nekoloff speak with former Emory & Henry College head men's basketball coach and current athletics director, Bob Johnson.

On Saturday, January 19, Emory & Henry dedicated the basketball court in the King Center in Coach Johnson's honor. E&H President, Dr. Rosalind Reichard, presented Coach Johnson with a framed proclamation and declared the day "Bob Johnson Day at Emory & Henry College." Coach Johnson explains his feelings about this honor to Brad and J.J., as well as outlining some of the new things happening at Emory & Henry.

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Welcome to the ODAC Blog

2007-12-28T13:05:00.000-05:00

This blog is a site to manage the weekly Old Dominion Athletic Conference podcast created by the conference office staff each week.

The Old Dominion Athletic Conference is an NCAA Division III athletic conference headquartered in Salem, Virginia. The conference has 13 full-time members (12 in Virginia an one in North Carolina). The league sponsors 22 varsity sports and hosts championships in all 22.

This weekly broadcast will summarize conference events and call attention to special events across the league.