14 November 2009
A Zimbabwean studying in the United States is making waves in college hockey.
Kundayi Mawema has earned her university the first All-Conference honours and has been selected for the All-Northeastern Conference (NEC) second team. Senior captain Kundayi Mawema from Harare, who turns 22 next month and sophomore Courtney Landi earned the Bryant University field hockey programme's first-ever all-league honours, both earning All-Northeast Conference Second Team accolades for their 2009 season performances. This was announced by the league at the awards banquet in Somerset, New Jersey last week.
Reports say Mawema posted a 7-10 record in her final season as a Bulldog, capping off a scintillating career that will go down as one of the best in programme history.
Mawema posted a 1.85 goals against average as a senior, good for No. 27 in the US. That number shrunk to 1.25 goals against in league action, where Mawema posted two of her four shutouts on the year.
The senior stronghold posted an 18th-ranked 6.89 stops per outing while she tied for eighth in the country with a .795 save percentage. Within the conference, only Rider's Lyndsie Johnson topped that number.
Mawema has posted record numbers during her illustrious Bryant career, and will graduate as the best goalkeeper in Bulldog history. She has been key in guiding the Bryant field hockey programme into greatness at both the Division II and Division I levels.
She will graduate as the programme leader in career saves (552) and saves per game (7.46) and No. 2 in career wins (31), shutouts (10) and minutes played (4379). With career goals against average of 2.56, Mawema has proved herself among the best the Black and Gold have ever positioned between the pipes.
Mawema also tops the single-game records with 30 saves against Bloomsburg in 2007.
Landi joins her teammate on the all-conference second team after enjoying an impressive sophomore season, leading the Bulldogs in goals (eight) and points (18), while adding two assists. The 170cm tall forward recorded a team-high 44 shots, 32 of them getting on goal for a squad-best .727 shot on goal percentage and two game-winning tallies.
Landi started all 18 games as a forward for Bryant, and is already among the programme's top career scorers after just two seasons donning the Black and Gold. She sits at No. 9 all-time with 10 career goals and is tied for ninth for points in a season (18). Her eight goals this year place her tied for sixth in single-season marks, while her 32 shots on goal are fourth in a season.
The Bulldogs finished the season with a 7-11 overall record, improving by six Division I wins over their 2008 mark. Bryant took wins over four Northeast Conference opponents, also recording victories over non-league foes Lehigh (3-1), Colgate (2-0) and Holy Cross (1-0).
Last week Mawema told Standardsport: "I feel very blessed, and proud to have made such accomplishments. It's an honour to have been able to represent Zimbabwe and leave my name in the record books of Bryant University Athletics.
"It has been a long four years and I have consistently worked hard to get better every year I play; therefore the ability to perform and achieve success at such a high level is very rewarding. I am glad that I have managed to be an ambassador for my country not only on the field but also through my various involvements and leadership positions on campus.
'I think my achievements can be tied together with those of all my former Zimbabwean teammates and other athletes and that have come to the United States and surpassed the levels of expectation of their coaches and peers."
Mawema is pursuing a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration with a concentration in Management, and minor in International Affairs.
Upon graduation in the Spring of 2010 Mawema plans to pursue a postgraduate business career programme.
Kundayi is one of the two Mawema sisters who have played competitive hockey at university.
Older sister Rudo played hockey at university until a knee injury that affected most of her years at Bucknell University. She eventually gave up playing and became the student assistant coach at Bucknell during her senior year.
She graduated with a BA in International Relations in May and is working at the World Affairs Council in St. Louis as assistant coach for hockey at a high school there. Next year she plans pursuing a Masters programme in International Diplomacy.
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Curious that these "heroes" of Zimbabwe did not say anything of their plans to return to Zimbabwe once they had finished their studies.
Isn't it?
Despite the fact that their business skills would be useful in today's Zimbabwe, neither took the opportunity to say that they look forward to their return to Mugabe's "workers paradise"..........
I would infer that they have no intention of returning to Zimbabwe under Bloodstained Bob's regime and are thankful to be in the U.S., the supposed "enemy" of the Zimbabwean people..........
"Total Empowerment!"