FOREST, Va. — The ODAC celebrates its 50th year of operation in 2025-26. Considering the history of one of the best conferences in Division III, it is rare to be able to convey truly new features to the public. Still, the ODAC does just that to jumpstart its golden anniversary with the announcement of its first-ever class of the newly minted ODAC Hall of Fame.
Fifty of the conference’s all-time great student-athletes, coaches, and administrators comprise the inaugural 2025 class. All inductees were directly selected by conference member schools, save for three that fall under an ODAC-wide banner. That trio includes founding commissioner Dan Wooldridge as well as Marjorie Berkley and Harry G. “Doc” Jopson, the namesake of the ODAC’s top-two individual honors, the Berkley and Jopson Awards recognizing the top senior women’s and men’s sports student-athletes in the conference, respectively.
"This inaugural Hall of Fame class embodies the heart and soul of the ODAC," explained ODAC Commissioner Brad Bankston. "They are champions, leaders, and trailblazers whose influence reaches far beyond wins and championships. As we celebrate our 50th anniversary, we are proud to honor individuals whose dedication and spirit have left an indelible mark on the conference and inspired all who have been part of our story."
This first class features honorees from all eight original charter members from 1976 – Bridgewater College, Eastern Mennonite College (now University), Emory & Henry College (now University), Hampden-Sydney College, Lynchburg College (now University of Lynchburg), Randolph-Macon College, Roanoke College, and Washington and Lee University. Each of those schools selected four members for inclusion, while three honorees each from Guilford College, Hollins College (now University), Randolph-Macon Women’s College (now Randolph College), Sweet Briar College, and Virginia Wesleyan College (now University) feature in this class.
The process for the second class in 2026-27 will be much the same with member schools selecting individuals for induction. That includes the first honorees from Shenandoah University. Starting in year three, ODAC Hall of Fame classes will be determined via a nomination and voting process to the ODAC Hall of Fame Committee composed of representation from league members.
The stories and “Did You Know” moments of this first class are numerous – like Wooldridge being taught by Berkley in 1952 at then Lynchburg College only for Berkley to later become the first ODAC associate commissioner hired by Wooldridge. During the 2025-26 season, the ODAC and its member schools will tell stories like these in various ways to celebrate not only their personal achievements, but also convey the rich history of each school and the conference over the past 50 years.
Listed below are the honorees from each school. Be sure to check out their entries in the ODAC Hall of Fame. Access to their full bios can be found in those entries.