Forest, Va. --  University of Lynchburg junior middle hitter Leah DiNardo has been named the Old Dominion Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Week, the league office announced Monday afternoon.

Unquestionably one of the Hornets' most consistent performers, DiNardo earns her second weekly honor of the season, previously taking home Offensive Player of the Week earlier this fall.

Continuing her strong play, DiNardo helped lead Lynchburg to a 3-0 sweep over Guilford in conference action last week. Across the match, she tallied nine kills with no errors on 12 total attempts, good for a .750 hitting percentage — tied for the second-highest single-match mark in program history.

Keeping her defensive presence felt at the net, DiNardo also added five block assists in the win, helping limit the Quakers' offense throughout the match.

Upholding her consistency this season, DiNardo ranks third the in conference for hitting percentage (.318) and seventh for blocks (47).

Overall, her balanced play on offense and defense continues to anchor a Lynchburg squad that remains among the conference's top contenders.

DiNardo's leadership and efficiency at the net have been major factors in the Hornets' success throughout the 2025 campaign, sitting at second in the conference standings.

As Lynchburg looks ahead, the team will aim to keep building momentum with several key ODAC matchups still to come.

Coming up next, Lynchburg is set to host Averett on Wednesday, Oct. 15, in Turner Gymnasium.

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--LYN--