Wednesday, November 17, 2021

COMMENTARY: The Issues With NCAA Division III Football

It was certainly a disappointment, but not at all a surprise, when Randolph-Macon's name did not appear on the bracket of the 32-team field for the 2021 NCAA Division III Football Championship this past Sunday night.

Despite being ranked for much of the season, having won by double digits in eight of their nine victories, and only falling once, to eventual Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) champion Washington & Lee by one point on a two-point conversion with no time remaining, the Yellow Jackets did not receive one of the five precious at-large bids to the tournament.

Now, had I taken out the term "Old Dominion Athletic Conference" out of the above paragraph, and replaced it with, say, the "Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC)" or "Centennial Conference", Randolph-Macon almost certainly would have made the field. Why do I say that? 

Because Randolph-Macon isn't the problem when it comes to trying to secure the respect needed to earn an at-large bid for a season like this. Their conference is.

Before we go any further, the Old Dominion Athletic Conference overall is a fantastic conference. It provides a healthy springboard in nearly every sport for teams to seriously contend for Division III national championships, as we have witnessed in the past twenty years with men's basketball, women's basketball, baseball, softball and volleyball at Randolph-Macon.

But when it comes to football, there's no such springboard. In fact, only twice has an ODAC institution earned an at-large bid to the Division III Football Championship: in 2000, and in 2010.

Earlier this fall, D3Football.com released its rankings of the 27 conferences in NCAA Division III when it comes to football itself. The aforementioned conferences placed fifth (OAC), and sixth (Centennial) respectively. 

The Old Dominion Athletic Conference was ranked 12th. While up two spots from its #14 ranking in 2019, the ODAC is barely in the top half of the rankings, and, with five at-large bids, and 27 teams who placed second in their own conference, you can see that it's not nearly high enough to be in a position to annually be in serious discussion to have a second team be invited.

A big problem has been in the fluidity of conference football membership in the past half-decade. The carousel began when Catholic University announced they would end their football-only membership in the ODAC after the 2016 season. Enter Ferrum, who became a conference member in full in 2018. 

In 2019, Southern Virginia University joined the conference as an associate member for football. That didn't last long. They played one season, and, in December of that year announced their intent to join USA South as a full member in all sports. 

Then, in late 2020, Emory and Henry announced its move to Division II, ending a 45-year relationship with the ODAC. Their last conference football game, ironically, was the "ODAC Championship Game" that comprised the fifth and final game of their schedule in the truncated 2020 season played last winter/spring. Their opponent? Randolph-Macon. 

The Yellow Jackets won 13-10 in overtime to break a tie with the Wasps for most ODAC Championships. Emory and Henry's 2021 schedule was non-conference. Add to that the fact that The Apprentice School's current agreement to play ODAC schools does not make them a conference member of any kind due to not being a Division III institution, that left six conference games on the 2021 schedule, and only eight considered by the NCAA Selection Committe.

Washington and Lee and Randolph-Macon tied for the conference lead at 5-1, with the Generals earning the NCAA bid and the ODAC trophy by virtue of their head-to-head victory. 

Now, Averett enters the ODAC effective next season, leaving USA South. We'll be back to seven conference games (hopefully) moving forward. The Cougars finished 4-4 in their final USA South season, 5-5 overall, losing to Ferrum in their only non-conference game involving an ODAC team. Randolph-Macon faced Averett last in 2019 in Danville, coming away victorious.

Other than the uncertainty of conference membership, and, therefore, the ODAC's actual and potential strength, here are the other issues concerning this situation, not, by the way, in order of impact.

Geography: More than any other thing, this abnormally affects not only the ODAC, but all of Division III. The finances simply aren't available. Thus, come tournament time, there has been a 500-mile moratorium of sorts on teams traveling during NCAA championship tournaments. It recently was upgraded to 600 miles. This has affected multiple Randolph-Macon teams. Teams in Texas, on the West Coast, they have this issue, too.

Geography II: Randolph-Macon only makes sense as an ODAC member. With Emory and Henry's departure, the Yellow Jackets' position as a foundational member only grows. They would never leave, nor should they. But if you could take Randolph-Macon's campus, lift it by helicopter, and land it in Wisconsin, Ohio, or, say, Pennsylvania, they suddenly could be in a top conference. So, since that isn't happening.....

Strength of Conference: This is the big one. When we state that the conference is the problem, it is a collective issue with every member. First, though, a positive. The ODAC essentially traded Southern Virginia to the USA South for Averett. USA South fell from #20 in 2019 to #23 in the D3Football.com conference ratings. That's, again, out of 27. 

However, it doesn't help the ODAC if a lot of members choose their non-conference opponents from lesser conferences. But, sometimes, there aren't many options. Credit, though, for example, Hampden-Sydney for scheduling Baldwin Wallace (8-2) of the Ohio Athletic Conference this past fall. Those are the type of series that ODAC teams need to find. 

Randolph-Macon has always (in all sports) looked for the most competitive schedule possible. They opened their playoff season of 2018, and 2019, with Centennial powerhouse Johns Hopkins, and, frankly, should have defeated them on opening night two years ago. 

But look at this past season. Shenandoah, who upset Washington & Lee in the season finale, further hurting Randolph-Macon's tournament chances, beat two USA South teams in Methodist (7-2) and North Carolina Wesleyan (4-6). Ferrum defeated Christopher Newport and future ODAC member Averett, both who finished 5-5. Even the conference champion, Washington & Lee, lost their opener at Christopher Newport, who later lost to NCAA Tournament team Salisbury...84-14. 

So, solutions?

1) Every team must get better. The only way for the ODAC to earn more respect nationally is to become better overall. Guilford, who is really struggling right now, needs huge improvement. Bridgewater, hopefully, suffered a one-off season in 2021 and will return to their usual prominence. Ferrum and Averett need to show that they are more than .500 type conference teams. The only under .500 teams in your conference need to be because you lost in-conference. Schedule tougher non-conference opponents, and win.

2) The Apprentice problem. Playing the Builders doesn't help anyone, unless they get better, and, become Division III members. We know of no plans for that to happen, so they need to be replaced. But who? Which institutions could seriously be considered for the ODAC? Christopher Newport doesn't fit the private institution nature of the conference, being a public university. Do you go after a Methodist from USA South, taking one of their better teams while giving Guilford a North Carolina partner in the conference?

3) When you get there, win. Washington & Lee is heading to, no shock, Mount Union this Saturday. If you don't know about the Purple Raiders, they own thirteen national titles, three in the past decade. The Generals' last trip to the NCAA Championship involved, yep, a trip to Mount Union, where they fell 21-0. No ODAC team won in the postseason from 2006-2012. Hampden-Sydney won one game in 2013, then Randolph-Macon won at John Carroll in 2018 (Ohio Athletic Conference member) before losing to Muhlenberg (Centennial). Bridgewater led Delaware Valley at home in the second half in 2019, but lost. 

That's two wins for the conference in fifteen years. The quickest way to expand respect for the conference is to win on the biggest stage. 

Would the Generals be at Mount Union Saturday had they won against Shenandoah last Saturday? Maybe. Had they gone 10-0? Likely not. 

4) For now, go unbeaten. No, it isn't fair that teams in several conferences can have teams go 9-1, or even 8-2, and be ranked higher in the NCAA's region ranking system than others. It's about strength of schedule, both in-conference and how you schedule in September.  So, until the ODAC is able to climb higher in the rankings, and eyes, of those football pundits nationwide, you have to get the job done on the field. And even if the ODAC becomes a top five conference nationally, you STILL have to win.

*******

In closing, I witnessed every Randolph-Macon play from scrimmage this season. In one drive, on one day, when the Yellow Jackets needed one defensive play, they couldn't deliver. You can argue they were missing two key pieces of their secondary at the time. That's true. But Washington & Lee lost their starting quarterback during the drive, and it didn't stop them. Seventeen plays, 99 yards, the rest of the clock. 

It's not fair, you may say, that Randolph-Macon is at home Saturday while Washington & Lee is playing. There's no doubt in my mind that the Yellow Jackets are the best team in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference this season. But that conclusion, shared by many others, doesn't change what's so much more important than opinion: results. 

Now, Randolph-Macon fans should be ecstatic with the current state of the program. Never before has the Yellow Jackets won nine games in three consecutive full seasons (9-3 in 2018, 9-2 in 2019, 9-1 in 2021). The coaching staff continues to do a great job recruiting. 

Yes, there are a lot of seniors on that defense. But, through the course of the season, there were tons of opportunities for underclassmen to prepare themselves to take over next season. Offensively, there's something special with Presley Egbers and Brecht Heuchan. If they can continue to work together, be selfless, and be ready to either share the load, or, if one gets hurt, carry it, 2022 opponents will have nightmares trying to scheme for the Yellow Jacket offense. 

The home bleachers and press box are out. Duke Hall is coming, and with it, a chance to begin a dominant run in the ODAC not seen since Bridgewater two decades ago. I'm personally excited, thrilled in fact, to watch what unfolds.

--Rob Witham

THE QUEST FOR SIX: Patrick Henry Boys Volleyball State Championship Match Information

WHAT: The 2021 #VHSL Class 4 Boys Volleyball Championship

WHO: Maggie Walker GS vs Patrick Henry

WHEN: Thursday, November 18th, 6pm

WHERE: Siegel Center at VCU, Richmond

LINKS:


TICKETS: CLICK HERE  

TWITTER UPDATES: @hanoversports 



Wednesday, October 27, 2021

BASEBALL: Randolph-Macon To Play VCU On Halloween At The Diamond

The following was released by Randolph-Macon Athletics on Wednesday.


ASHLAND, Va. – Before they go trick-or-treating, the Randolph-Macon baseball team will play a fall exhibition against VCU at The Diamond on Halloween.

The teams will play a 12-inning contest on Sunday, Oct. 31 at 1 p.m. The game will be open to the public with no admission charge. Gates will open at noon.

The Rams went 38-16 this past spring. They won the Atlantic 10 regular-season title and earned the right to host the conference tournament. VCU defeated Dayton 7-6 in the A-10 Championship Game and earned the league's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. The Rams were the No. 2 seed in the Starkville Regional. VCU defeated third-seeded Campbell in the first round before falling to eventual national champion Mississippi State in the second round. The Camels ended the Rams' season in the third round.

The Yellow Jackets went 23-11 overall this past spring and 18-4 in ODAC play. R-MC won the conference regular-season crown for the third straight season. The Yellow Jackets started the season ranked No. 2 in the nation in the D3baseball.com/NCBWA poll and No. 3 in the Perfect Game Preseason Top 25.

(RVA Sports Network File Photo)



Friday, October 22, 2021

LISTEN LIVE: Hanover at Patrick Henry

HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL FRIDAY NIGHT:

Hanover at #9 Patrick Henry, airtime at 6:30pm!

RADIO: Rejoice 101.3 FM and 990 AM

WEB: CLICK HERE to listen!

ALEXA: "Play Rejoice Richmond!"





Thursday, October 21, 2021

LaHaye, National Women's Basketball Finalists Headline R-MC Hall of Fame Class of 2021

The following was released by the Randolph-Macon Athletic Hall of Fame Committee on Thursday. Congratulations to all of the newest members!

ASHLAND, Va. – Former women's basketball coach Carroll LaHaye headlines the Randolph-Macon Athletics Hall of Fame Class of 2021.

Joining LaHaye are Greg Meleski '09, Justin Wansley '06 and the 2004-05 Women's Basketball Team.

LaHaye spent 38 seasons as head coach of the Yellow Jackets from 1982-2020 and posted a record of 647-376 with fourteen 20-win seasons. At the time of her retirement, she topped the ODAC win list. LaHaye was sixth on the active NCAA Division III wins list. She was 14th on the all-time Division III wins list and 27th on the all-time women's basketball wins list for all divisions. LaHaye led R-MC to eight ODAC regular season titles and 10 ODAC Tournament Championships. The Yellow Jackets earned 12 NCAA Tournament bids. They reached the Sweet 16 four times, the Elite Eight twice and were national runner-up in 2005. LaHaye was ODAC Coach of the Year four times and VaSID College Division State Coach of the Year five times. She was 2002-03 Richmond Times-Dispatch State Coach of the Year. LaHaye was inducted into the Mid-Coast Hall of Fame in 2010 and the University of Maine-Machias Hall of Fame in 2012.

Meleski was a four-year starter for the R-MC baseball team. He was ODAC Rookie of the Year in 2006 and was voted All-ODAC First Team at third base in 2007 and at second base in 2008. At the time of his graduation, Meleski topped the R-MC career lists with 195 hits, 556 at bats, 51 doubles, 115 RBI, 127 runs, 63 extra base hits and 273 total bases. All those marks remain in the Top 10. In the four years prior to Meleski's arrival, the Yellow Jackets were 42-88 overall and 16-54 in ODAC play. During his four-year career, R-MC went 84-65 overall and 43-29 in conference contests. During his junior season, the Yellow Jackets won their first ODAC championship since 1987 and earned their first NCAA Tournament berth since 1977.

Wansley was a four-year letter-winner for the Yellow Jacket men's basketball team. He is sixth on R-MC's career scoring list with 1,566 points and fifth with 809 career rebounds. Wansley was the 2003 ODAC Freshman of the Year. He was All-ODAC First Team three times and was the 2005 ODAC Player of the Year. Also in 2005, Wansley was All-America First Team by the NABC as well as South Region Player of the Year. He was VaSID All-State First Team and State Player of the Year. During his senior campaign, Wansley was All-Region and All-State First Team. The Yellow Jackets were ODAC regular season champs in 2003, 2004 and 2005 and captured the ODAC Tournament title in 2003. R-MC went to the NCAA Tournament three times during Wansley's career and reached the Sweet 16 in 2003. The Yellow Jackets were 90-21 overall and 61-11 in ODAC play with Wansley.

With LaHaye at the helm, the 2004-05 R-MC women's basketball team set an ODAC and program record with 30 wins and went a perfect 20-0 in ODAC contests, also a conference record. The Yellow Jackets defeated Washington and Lee in the quarterfinals of the ODAC Tournament in Salem, pulled out a 68-64 victory over Emory & Henry in the semifinals and posted a 72-55 win over Bridgewater in the title game. R-MC earned a bye in the first round of the NCAA Tournament and topped Mary Washington 89-76 in Crenshaw Gym in the second round. The Yellow Jackets would host a pair of Sweet 16 contests, outlasting Trinity (Tex.) 82-79 in overtime in the Sweet 16 game and defeating George Fox 63-51 in the Elite Eight matchup to advance to the Final Four for the first time in program history. R-MC would head to Virginia Beach, as Virginia Wesleyan hosted the Final Four in 2005. The Yellow Jackets defeated Scranton 70-65 in the National Semifinals before falling to Millikin in the National Championship contest.

Members of the 2004-05 R-MC women's basketball team included Jennie Carter, Nicole Childress, Emily Crider, Sarah Crider, Maggie Harman, Marta Merkel, Kristen Morgan, Jannesa Morusma, Michelle Orton, Megan Senske, Salem Shaffer and Megan Silva. Ana Litton was an assistant coach and Dan Cochran was the manager.

The induction of the R-MC Athletics Hall of Fame Class of 2021 is scheduled to be held on Friday, February 18, 2022. 

(File Photo of Coach LaHaye)




Thursday, September 23, 2021

COUNTY FOOTBALL SCOREBOARD (SEPTEMBER 24--25)

HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL FRIDAY NIGHT:

#3 Varina (2-0) at Mechanicsville (1-2), 6:30pm airtime

RADIO: Rejoice 101.3 FM/990 AM
WEB: CLICK HERE    
ALEXA: "Alexa, Play Rejoice Richmond!"

ALSO FRIDAY....(score updates on radio and on Twitter, @hanoversports):

#10 Patrick Henry (2-1) at Atlee (3-1)
Hanover at Armstrong, POSTPONED


**********************

ODAC COLLEGE FOOTBALL SATURDAY:

Washington & Lee (1-0, 2-1) at #16 Randolph-Macon (1-0, 3-0), 12:30pm airtime (PreGame Show exclusively on website)

RADIO: Rejoice 101.3 FM/990 AM
WEB: CLICK HERE  
ALEXA: "Alexa, Play Rejoice Richmond!"


Saturday, September 18, 2021

FOOTBALL WEEKEND SCOREBOARD PRESENTED BY LUCK CHEVROLET

HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL FRIDAY NIGHT:

#7 Douglas Freeman 38, Atlee 6

RADIO: Rejoice 101.3 FM/990 AM
WEB: CLICK HERE    
ALEXA: "Alexa, Play Rejoice Richmond!"

ALSO FRIDAY....(score updates on radio and on Twitter, @hanoversports):

#10 Patrick Henry 34, Deep Run 0
Hanover 51, Mills Godwin 28

Mechanicsville is on their bye week.....

**********************

ODAC COLLEGE FOOTBALL SATURDAY:

#18 Randolph-Macon 31, Bridgewater 13

RADIO: Rejoice 101.3 FM/990 AM
WEB: CLICK HERE  
ALEXA: "Alexa, Play Rejoice Richmond!"



Friday, September 10, 2021

FOOTBALL WEEKEND SCHEDULE PRESENTED BY LUCK CHEVROLET

FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 10:

#7 Patrick Henry at #10 Hermitage, 7pm (follow @RobertWitham13 on Twitter for live updates!)

Hanover at #9 Matoaca, 7pm

#8 Douglas Freeman at Mechanicsville, 7pm

Atlee at Mills Godwin, 7pm


CLICK HERE to join the conversation and talk LIVE with Rob about high school football on #TheFinalWord, at 11:30pm exclusively on our Facebook page!


SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 11:

Catholic at #19 Randolph-Macon:

PREGAME: 12:30pm on RMCAthletics.com

GAME: 1pm on Rejoice 101.3 FM/990 AM and RMCAthletics.com PLUS listen on Alexa! ("Alexa, play Rejoice Richmond!")




Tuesday, August 31, 2021

BROADCAST SCHEDULE: SEPTEMBER 1---4

WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 1:

Women's Volleyball: Mary Washington at Randolph-Macon, 7pm (CLICK HERE)

THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 2:

High School Football: #11 Monacan at Hanover, 6:45pm (CLICK HERE)

FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 3:

High School Football: Mills Godwin at #8 Patrick Henry, 6:30pm, (Rejoice 101.3 FM/990 AM or CLICK HERE)

SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 4:

College Football: #17 Randolph-Macon at Dickinson, 1pm, (Rejoice 101.3 FM/990 AM or CLICK HERE)

Thursday, August 26, 2021

FOOTBALL IS BACK

LISTEN LIVE!

Mechanicsville at Deep Run, 6:45pm airtime

(CLICK HERE to listen!! Also available on the TuneIn Radio App on "Radiall"!)




ALSO TONIGHT:

Henrico at Atlee, 7:30pm (updates on Twitter: @hanoversports)

Tuesday, June 22, 2021

TRANSFORMATION: Randolph-Macon To Break Ground on Duke Hall

Come the fall of 2022, things around Day Field on the campus of Randolph-Macon College will look quite different. The College announced plans to break ground on Duke Hall, a three-story, 45,000 square foot building located on the home side of Day Field, which will provide new offices and locker rooms for several sports, plus a floor dedicated to the new Physicians Assistant program set to begin in January, 2023.

CLICK HERE to learn complete details on this new project. (Artist Rendering Courtesy Randolph-Macon College)



Monday, March 15, 2021

CLASS OF 2021: Lee-Davis Athletic Hall Of Fame Inductees Announced

The following was released by the Lee-Davis High School Athletic Hall of Fame on Monday. Our deepest congratulations to everyone who has been named to the Class of 2021!

**************************

Five Inductees Elected to Class of 2021

Lee-Davis High School Athletic Hall of Fame


The Lee-Davis High School Athletic Hall of Fame Committee, Mechanicsville, VA, is pleased to announce our inductees for the Class of 2021 of The Lee-Davis High School Athletic Hall of Fame.  These five athletes were elected from the substantial universe of outstanding athletes who have competed with excellence since The School’s establishment in 1959. 

The Class of 2021 is composed of five former student athletes with accomplishments including district, region, metro, state distinctions, and beyond.


The inductees are:

Doug Floyd (Football, Basketball, Baseball, Track and Field, Class of 1959) 

Murphy Sprinkel (Football, Class of 1967) 

Henrietta Franklin Brooks (Track and Field, Basketball, Class of 1976)

Alvin Puller (Football, Basketball, Track and Field, Class of 1982) 

Montasia Golden (Indoor Track, Outdoor Track and Field, Class of 2011)


These former student athletes will be celebrated in different ways depending on Covid-19 protocols and the comfort levels of the former student athletes and/or their families.

Saturday, March 13, 2021

SHOWDOWN SUNDAY: #2 Trine at #1 Randolph-Macon

With the NCAA canceling the 2021 Division III Men's Basketball Championship, officials at Randolph-Macon went to work to try to schedule at least one game against top talent. Call it college basketball's version of a "bowl game", if you would.

Trine University of Angola, Indiana recently completed their season at 17-0, winners of the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) Championship. The Thunder, led by guard Nick Bowman, who figures to have a "game within the game" against Randolph-Macon guard Buzz Anthony, offered to host #1 Randolph-Macon for a "postseason" game.

When the Yellow Jackets countered with a trip to Ashland, Virginia, the Thunder jumped at the chance, according to Randolph-Macon head coach Josh Merkel. Thus, Sunday afternoon, at Crenshaw Gymnasium, it will be the closest thing you will get in Division III in 2021 to a "national title game". 

WHAT: #2 Trine (17-0) at #1 Randolph-Macon (11-0)

WHEN: Sunday, 2:30pm

WHERE: Crenshaw Gymnasium, Ashland, VA

TICKETS: NONE (Fans are not allowed at Crenshaw)

VIDEO: CLICK HERE to watch the game, called by "The Voice Of The Yellow Jackets" Marty Wilson and Andrew Price



TWITTER: Real-time updates on @hanoversports from RVA Sports Network 



Friday, March 12, 2021

LISTEN LIVE: Game Of The Week Football: Mechanicsville at Patrick Henry

CLICK HERE to listen live at 6pm as Mechanicsville (0-2) and Patrick Henry (2-0) collide on the RVA Sports Network High School Football Game of The Week!




Tuesday, March 09, 2021

Road Warriors: Randolph-Macon Beats Roanoke In ODAC Semis

Not by choice, the top ranked team in America in Division III, Randolph-Macon College men's basketball, had to become road warriors in the 2021 Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) Championship Tournament.

Due to a COVID-19 pause and several game cancellations in February, the Yellow Jackets, though unbeaten, were awarded the fifth seed in the tournament. After a win in the quarterfinal round at #4 Bridgewater, a team they defeated twice during the regular season, it was onto top-seeded Roanoke Tuesday night.

The Maroons, one of the best defensive teams in the nation, gave Randolph-Macon fits a year ago in the semifinal round before a late defensive stop gave the Yellow Jackets the victory. From the start, Roanoke seemed determined to deny the Yellow Jackets their patented three-point shooting game.

Thus, it was time for head coach Josh Merkel, floor general Buzz Anthony, and the rest of the team to pivot, and take advantage of the opportunity given. Merkel wants his team to figure out what's happening first, staying a step mentally ahead of the opponent.

The result Tuesday night was forty points in the paint as the Yellow Jackets held off a furious late Roanoke rally to eliminate the top seed 77-71 to advance to Thursday night's title game. 

Randolph-Macon (5-0 ODAC, 10-0) advances to their third consecutive championship game, and look to defend their title and go back to back for the first time in thirty years.

"Gratitude. We're happy to play another game," Merkel noted via Zoom following the game, mindful of the early February pause in his team's season. "We're not perfect. We've got a lot to work on."

The Yellow Jackets led most of the way, but Roanoke tied the game at 47 in the middle of the second half. Randolph-Macon responded with a quick 6-0 run to retake the lead for good. Up 70-57 with less than two minutes left, the Maroons cut the margin down to five during a frantic final minute which saw the Yellow Jackets struggle to get the ball inbounds. 

Anthony scored twenty points and dished nine assists for the Yellow Jackets, while Miles Mallory had 18 points and seven rebounds and Ian Robertson added fifteen points and seven rebounds. Before fouling out, sophomore Josh Talbert went five-of-six from the field, finishing with eleven points and five rebounds. 

(File Photo)



Friday, February 05, 2021

BREAKING: Randolph-Macon Athletics On Pause

The following statement was released by Randolph-Macon College's athletics department Friday afternoon:


Randolph-Macon athletics are on pause due to the College's COVID-19 protocols.

This will result in the cancellation of the following events:

2/5 Men's Basketball vs. Randolph

2/6 Swimming vs. Virginia Wesleyan, Women's Basketball vs. Salisbury

2/7 Men's Basketball at Emory & Henry

2/9 Women's Basketball at Shenandoah, Men's Basketball at Christopher Newport

2/12 Men's Soccer vs. Virginia Wesleyan

2/13 Men's Basketball vs. Guilford, Swimming at Washington and Lee

Friday, January 29, 2021

ALERT: Hanover County Fall Sports To Only Play Rivals

Hanover County Public Schools has announced they will continue to only schedule varsity sporting events amongst the four county high schools for fall sports, which are set to begin in late February. 

In light of the decision, the 2020 condensed football schedule has been changed yet again. It is listed below, along with other guidelines for fall sports.


FOOTBALL:

Friday February 26:

Mechanicsville at Hanover, 6pm
Patrick Henry at Atlee, 7pm

Friday March 5:

Patrick Henry at Hanover, 6pm
Atlee at Mechanicsville, 7pm

Friday March 12:

Mechanicsville at Patrick Henry, 6pm
Hanover at Atlee, 7pm

Friday March 19:

Hanover at Mechanicsville, 6pm
Atlee at Patrick Henry, 7pm

Friday March 26:

Hanover at Patrick Henry, 6pm
Mechanicsville at Atlee, 7pm

Friday April 2:

Patrick Henry at Mechanicsville, 6pm
Atlee at Hanover, 7pm

NOTES:

--Teams which qualify for postseason play will be allowed to compete in their region tournaments.
--Middle school fall sports are canceled.
--Eighth graders will be allowed to try out for high school teams.
--Spectator attendance continues to be suspended.

--Field hockey varsity season play will begin on Monday March 1st.
--Volleyball schedules within the county will be forthcoming.

Friday, January 22, 2021

WEEKEND BASKETBALL SCHEDULE

 NOTE: Click on the game listing to watch video where available. Live Twitter coverage on @hanoversports where noted.


FRIDAY:

HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL:


BOYS:

Atlee at Hanover, 7:15pm

Mechanicsville at Patrick Henry, 7:15pm


GIRLS:

Patrick Henry at Mechanicsville, 7:15pm ($)


SATURDAY:

COLLEGE BASKETBALL:


MEN:

Randolph-Macon at Ferrum, 2pm

WOMEN:

Ferrum at Randolph-Macon, 2pm


HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL:


GIRLS:

Hanover at Atlee, 1pm


Monday, January 11, 2021

ODAC Releases Indoor Spectator Policy

The Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) announced that spectators will not be permitted for indoor contests this winter and spring.

Here is the official statement from the ODAC office:

"The Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) Presidents Council endorsed a conference policy that will prohibit spectators at any ODAC indoor athletic event for the upcoming spring campaign. Decision-making throughout the COVID-19 pandemic has focused on the health of the individuals within the ODAC's athletic arenas and a safe return to competition. Enacting this policy will allow campus administrations to control athletic environments as we collectively work towards a return to play.

"This decision affects all conference indoor sports including basketball, indoor track & field, swimming, and volleyball. ODAC leadership will continue to monitor the landscape surrounding the pandemic. Should any changes be made to the spectator policy, updates will be conveyed through conference office and member institution communication channels."