WILLIAMSBURG — As the William & Mary Tribe get ready for the 2025 football season, WYDaily caught up with some of the team’s players ahead of Saturday afternoon’s kickoff.
Davin Dzidzienyo began playing football at the age of 11, but his parents who never forced the game on him. After exploring the sport more throughout middle school, he realized that he could earn a scholarship to finance his college education.
“Once I saw that, it really motivated me more and more to keep playing the sport. From that, my love for the sport grew and grew,” Dzidzienyo said.
Dzidzienyo, who plays on the defensive line for the Tribe, redshirted his freshman season in 2022. In 2023, he played in seven games, earning six starts and finishing the season with 18 tackles and a sack. However, it wasn’t until last season that his talent really began to shine.
In 2024, Dzidzienyo earned All-CAA honorable mention honors, started all 12 games, and finished the season with 50 tackles. He also forced a fumble that turned into a 26-yard return against Furman, the sixth-longest in the CAA in 2024.
“Last season was a situation where we could have had a better season, but we could have had a lot worse of a season, too. 2024 was my first full year as a starter. I was able to really just grow as a player and a leader. I’ve been trained by so many great leaders that have come through our program and got to sit back and watch how they lead, that now I want to apply those lessons to my own leadership,” Dzidzienyo said.
He credits his growth in the sport to his work ethic.
“I always knew I had potential. I always heard that word growing up. Potential only means so much if you can’t fulfill it and if you can’t back that up with a work ethic. I took it day by day and brick by brick and really wanted to work as hard as I could to get to where I am today,” Dzidzienyo said.
Dzidzienyo says that the Tribe has unfinished business in 2025.
“There is definitely some unfinished business. As a team, we have a bitter taste in our mouth. We’re trying as a team to reach the stars and at the end of the day, get back to the CAA Championship,” Dzidzienyo said.
As he suits up for his final season opener, Dzidzienyo remains grateful for his journey.
“I’m so blessed for the journey. Five years is a long time. I came in as a freshman in 2021. I’m taking it day by day. On my last summer workout, I said, ‘okay, it’s my last summer workout,’ but I didn’t think too much about it. It might hit me at the end of the season when it’s truly all over, but right now I’m trying to make every day better than yesterday,” Dzidzienyo said.
For more on all things William & Mary football, visit tribeathletics.com.