A student-athlete earning consecutive all-conference accolades yet still making a lasting mark off the field is rightfully hard to fathom. In the case of William and Mary fifth-year defensive lineman Davin Dzidzienyo, however, it is easy to see how.
Prior to Tribe football’s 2026 campaign, Dzidzienyo was not only named a preseason first-team all defensive lineman in the Patriot League, but also a nominee for the 2026 Allstate American Football Coaches Association Good Works Team. The award highlights student-athletes who make meaningful contributions on the field, in the classroom and in the community. Dzidzienyo’s community service in both the Williamsburg, Va. and Washington, D.C. areas has taken him to schools, food banks, youth football programs and local football teams.
Following a breakout 2024 campaign, Dzidzienyo was on track to establish himself as one of the Coastal Athletic Association’s premier defensive linemen. That trajectory was backed up by his selection to the 2025 Preseason All-CAA Team.
But just four games into his senior season, it all came to a halt due to a season-ending injury during the Tribe’s 34-7 home win over Charleston Southern.
In the weeks following his injury and the confirmation that his season was truly over, Dzidzienyo gave himself space to work through the emotions he was feeling at the time: frustration, sadness and disappointment.
“I gave myself a one or two week period to sort of just feel however I wanted to feel, to just feel those emotions,” Dzidzienyo said.
With his sights set on a comeback, Dzidzienyo said he immediately shifted his mindset toward his recovery in a positive manner.
Dzidzienyo added that another element of his recovery was maintaining his role as team captain without setting the physical tone on game days.
“My biggest thing when I got hurt was still trying to be a positive light to the team and not be that guy who is just moping around,” he said. “Even when I had surgery, I was still in the building every day, still in every meeting and every practice.”
Heading now into his second season as a captain for head coach Mike London, Dzidzienyo has carved out a distinct approach to his leadership.
“I try to talk to everybody and get a good connection with everybody so people know it is coming from a place of love,” Dzidzienyo said. “Some teammates you might have to talk to a little softer than others, and that comes with building those interpersonal relationships.”
Dzidzienyo’s leadership has been especially impactful within the defensive line group, defensive line coach Keenan Carter said.
“If the guys have questions on how I want things done, they can ask Davin [Dzidzienyo],” Carter said.
Dominique Graham, a strength and conditioning coach who has worked with Dzidzienyo since the eighth grade, echoed a similar sentiment.
“Davin [Dzidzienyo] is someone who leads by example, holding himself to the same standard that he sets for his teammates,” Graham said.
Graham added that Dzidzienyo’s coachability has made his job seamless.
After spending the majority of the 2025 season and the subsequent offseason in recovery, Dzidzienyo said he looked forward to stepping back onto the field with his teammates.
“It felt good to have that camaraderie again and to just be with the guys again,” he said.
Carter and London will likely also be looking for Dzidzienyo to quickly return to his pre-injury level, magnified by the losses of linebacker Luke Banbury M.S. ’26, defensive end Justin Krueger and outside linebacker Jorden McDonald ’26, who terrorized opponents’ backfields with a combined 19 tackles for loss and six sacks.
For Football Championship Subdivision programs like William and Mary, conversations surrounding top players being recruited by Football Bowl Subdivision teams via the transfer portal are common. The Tribe was particularly affected by this last offseason, seeing three all-conference players — including Krueger — make the switch.
Dzidzienyo, who attracted attention from FBS programs following his breakout junior season, never entertained leaving Williamsburg. He said it all came back to the culture and support he has felt throughout his time with the Tribe.
“It just really feels like home for me,” Dzidzienyo said. “If I feel that right now, why would I go chase that somewhere else?”
As William and Mary prepares for its inaugural season competing in the Patriot League, Dzidzienyo said his sights are set on securing his second conference title, having won a CAA championship in 2022 as a redshirt freshman.
“I am not really worried about any individual things because that stuff will come as long as we win,” he said.
