FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
FOREST, Va. --- The Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) is pleased to announce a partnership with Officially Human, an organization that intends to be a leader in improving relationships at all levels of athletic competition with game officials. Officially Human’s mission is to “restore respect to game officials and recognize them as authorities on the fields and courts."
“We’re excited to join forces with Officially Human to promote a culture of respect for game officials throughout the ODAC,” explained ODAC Commissioner Brad Bankston. “Their work is vital to the student-athlete experience, and this partnership allows us to better educate, engage, and remind everyone involved in Division III athletics that respect is at the heart of competition. We are proud to lead by example in supporting those who serve the game.”
Officially Human was founded by Brenda Hilton, who has spent over 20 years in college athletics working with sports officials from the mid-majors to the highest level of Division I.
"Officially Human is proud to partner with the ODAC member institutions," said Hilton. "In my first conversation with Commissioner Bankston, it was clear that sportsmanship is a topic that is a top priority, and we look forward to raising awareness across the conference through some great initiatives."
Established in 2019, Officially Human strives to restore respect to, and positive treatment of, sport officials through increased education and communication to all stakeholders (administrators, coaches, and fans). OH has partnered with more than 40 organizations with a wide spectrum of backgrounds including collegiate conferences and NCAA-associated entities as well as independent outfits at more local levels of competition.
The ODAC will provide each member institution with access to resources created by Officially Human. These range from a full media kit of awareness and informational documents to videos and testimonials that will be showcased for improved exposure on the conference’s streaming platform with FloCollege. These assets will help the ODAC augment its existing programming and further reflect the conference’s focus on healthy relationships with officials in all sponsored sports.
ABOUT OFFICIALLY HUMAN
Based in Lombard, Ill. and founded in 2019, Officially Human is the leader in addressing the growing crisis in officiating that touches every sport, official, and level of competition. Officially Human offers tailored solutions to athletic host organizations of all sizes that improve the stakeholder experience at each of their sporting competitions. The comprehensive solutions package includes digital education, awareness building, event host communication strategies, and organizational support in addressing poor fan behavior. To learn more about Officially Human, visit officiallyhuman.com.
ABOUT THE ODAC
The Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) began competition with eight charter members in the 1976-77 academic year, making 2025-26 its 50th year of operation. From its initial year of competition through the 1981-82 academic year, the ODAC sponsored competition in 10 men’s varsity sports. The ODAC announced the inclusion of women’s athletics prior to the 1982-83 academic year, which also introduced three new members to the league. Today, the ODAC has grown to sponsor championships in 26 sports (13 men and 12 women, 1 co-ed) with its full-time membership composed of 11 co-educational institutions and three single-gender schools. The 2025-26 season marks the 34th year that the ODAC and the City of Salem, Va., will partner to host NCAA Division III championships. Since the Stagg Bowl in December 1993, the two entities have co-hosted 87 Division III championship events with four more adding to that history this year.