ODAC leadership has continued its thorough review of the COVID-19 pandemic and its effect on athletic opportunities throughout the league's membership. The ODAC President's Council, in consultation with the ODAC Board of Directors, has endorsed a plan for a return to collegiate competition during the 2021 spring semester.
"Roanoke College is extremely pleased with the decision of the ODAC to move forward with competition opportunities for our student-athletes" Roanoke College Director of Athletics Scott Allison continued, "we put protocols in place this fall to ensure that our student-athletes would be able to train, work out, and practice in anticipation of having the opportunity to compete in the spring. The hard work of the ODAC leadership, President's Council, and Board of Directors has paved the way with a well thought out plan for a return to competition."
The first priority of the conference leadership is ensuring the well-being of all individuals involved in collegiate competition and its member campuses. As such, the ODAC Presidents' Council committed that the conference will follow all established NCAA testing recommendations. A Standard Operating Procedures for Competition has been completed. The document was developed by the ODAC Board of Directors and a number of member working groups including athletic training and sports medicine personnel.
The ODAC considered several different scheduling models as part of its return to competition plan. The resulting framework provides regular season and conference championship structures for fall and winter sports in addition to the unaltered previously established spring sport schedules and championships. Basketball, indoor track & field, and swimming will maintain their opportunities to qualify for NCAA championship participation. Second semester competition is scheduled to begin on January 23 with men's and women's basketball. All other sports will begin later as the semester progresses.
"While we are excited about the opportunities in the spring, it is important that we remain diligent in following our protocols and the safeguards that we have in place when we reconvene on campus in January." Allison on the COVID-19 pandemic, "Roanoke College has and will continue to make the safety of our student-athletes the number one priority. We will continue to work with local and state medical officials as well as following the ODAC and NCAA guidelines on testing, practice, and competition as we prepare to navigate the spring semester. It is crucial that our community, region, and country continue to follow health and safety standards so that we can ensure the safest environment possible for our student-athletes to be able to compete."
Conference leadership will meet on a regular basis between now and the end of 2020 and continue with its planning for competition in 2021. Leadership will track the progress of COVID-19 and subsequent health and safety recommendations provided by local, state and national public health authorities.
For more information, including a brief snapshot of the plans for each ODAC sport, click HERE to view a frequently asked questions (FAQ) document.
