NORFOLK, Va. – The Old Dominion University’s women’s swim team will join the Atlantic Sun Conference for the 2025-26 season, a move that will allow both the ODU men’s and women’s teams to compete in the same league.
The women will compete a final year in 2024-25 in the Sun Belt Conference, a four-team league that is dissolving at the end of this season.
The ODU men’s and women’s teams train together and are both coached by Jess Livsey. The move means both teams will compete together in the ASUN Championship meet.
“Beyond excited for our program to have this opportunity to compete within the ASUN’s strong field of competitors, in addition to our men’s program,” Livsey said.
The Sun Belt helped facilitate the move of both the ODU and Georgia Southern women’s swim teams to the ASUN.
“Thank you to the Sun Belt Conference for their continued support of the advancement of women’s swimming and diving, as well as to both the ODU administration and the ASUN Conference for making this next step for our team a reality,” Livsey said.
ODU and Georgia Southern will join UNC Asheville, Gardner-Webb, Queens College, Florida Gulf Coast, North Florida and Bellarmine in the ASUN. Delaware is also joining the ASUN, which will become a 10-team women’s league in 2025-26.
“We are excited to welcome the women’s swimming and diving student-athletes and staff at Georgia Southern University and Old Dominion University to the Atlantic Sun Conference," said ASUN Commissioner Jeff Bacon. "This partnership will enhance the experience of all involved and represents the finishing touch on what is an incredibly competitive conference. Thanks to Chris Davis and Wood Selig for their support and we look forward to the 2025-26 season."
The men compete with Florida Atlantic, Queens, Bellarmine and Gardner-Webb in the ASUN. Delaware will join the ASUN men in 2025-26.
Carolyn Crutchfield, ODU’s executive senior associate athletics director, and sports supervisor for both the men’s and women’s teams, said the move was made to enhance the experience for the university’s student athletes.
“Our men’s and women’s teams train with each other and feel like they are one team,” she said. “We’re so pleased that they will now be able to compete together in the same league.
“The postseason conference swim meet is very important to the student-athlete experience, and we’re pleased that the ASUN will offer our student-athletes a chance to compete in a larger tournament.
“We’re so grateful to the Sun Belt and Atlantic Sun conferences for working with us to make this happen.”