Mwawi joins Vixens
Malawi netball export Mwawi Kumwenda’s career continues to soar to greater heights. The towering shooter has just completed a two-year dream move to Australia’s National Netball League giants Melbourne Vixens.
The 2016 Netball World Cup Most Valuable Player (MVP), who has left Mainland Tactix of New Zealand where she played for the ANZ Championship side since 2014, was unveiled on Friday.
contract: Mwawi
“The Melbourne Vixens are excited to announce a bevy of Australian Diamonds, an international star and the best up-and-coming talent as the 2017 Melbourne Vixens who will challenge in the National Netball League. Former Australian Diamond shooter Tegan Philip will return to the club back from injury, the dynamic goal attacker to be joined in the circle by electrifying Malawi goal shooter Mwawi Kumwenda.
“Kumwenda was named MVP of last year’s Netball World Cup and comes to the Vixens from the Mainland Tactix where she had a stellar season and was named club MVP. Up-and-coming Victorian shooting sensation, Australian 21/U representative and 2016 Vixen Emma Ryde will round out the Vixens’ goal circle,” a statement from the website reads.
Vixens coach Simone McKinnis said she is excited by the club’s powerful squad.
“It’s a really exciting time and we have a group who we feel very positive about and who want to be here as Vixens, and that’s the strongest starting point we could have,” McKinnis told the club’s website.
“We’re very happy we’ve kept our core group together, and with some vibrant new talent coming in, the opportunity to build on what we’ve started is huge.”
McKinnis said the addition of Kumwenda – who honed her skills with the Peninsula Waves in the Victorian Netball League in 2011 and represented the Victorian Fury in 2013 in the Australia Netball League – will be one to watch.
“I watched MJ [Mwawi Kumwenda] when she was playing in the Victorian state league and I’ve always admired the way she plays – she’s dynamic, athletic and unpredictable and I’m excited to bring that to our attack,” she added.
Kumwenda will join the rest of her teammates in November when they formally begin their 2017 National Netball League campaign.
Her manager Hlupi Chalamba said the player was exacted by the move.
“We should have great expectations from her and she promised to work extra harder as Vixens is s big team and very competitive. It’s in top three,” she said.
I dont like the kind of reporting on Mwawi Kumwenda which our media accords her – no one has ever reported of the trophies Mwawi has won with her teams in New Zealand! All we hear being reported are her individual accolades – what about leagues, cups, etc as a team?? Is it that the teams she has been playing for do not win titles??? A palyer’s success is measured by the number of titles/trophies he/she wins – how many has Mwawi won in New Zealand??