Borussia Dortmund handball ladies have added Lena Degenhardt to their side for the 2023/24 season onwards. The 23-year-old back court player will be making the move to the Ruhr from TuS Metzingen.

Lena Degenhardt, who is most comfortable on the left-hand side of the back court, has signed a contract with BVB until the end of the 2024/25 season. Following her time as a youth player, the Albstadt native played for

second division team SG H2Ku Herrenberg and Bundesliga side TV Nellingen, to whom she remained loyal until summer 2019, before joining fellow top-tier side TuS Metzingen. Degenhardt made her debut for the German national team against Portugal in April 2021 in the play-offs to reach the World Cup.

“I am very much looking forward to this new challenge. Borussia Dortmund are a big club and it is an honour to play there. When I see that more than 11,000 fans were there at a game in the Westfallenhalle, it gives me a huge boost. I am really looking forward to the European League matches,” says Degenhardt.

Sporting director Andreas Kuno emphasised: “In Lena, we have signed a player who has great potential and who is still getting better in our opinion. She can play in different positions, which will make us even more flexible.” Rupert Thiele, acting head of the handball department, added: “We want to further develop young German internationals like Lena. Despite her young age, however, she already has a lot of experience and can help us right away. She will form a very good duo in her position with Dana Bleckmann.”