Joyce Mvula

Malawian netball player

Joyce Mvula
Personal information
Born 15 April 1994
David Momba Village, Mzimba, Malawi
Height 183 cm (6 ft 0 in)
Netball career
Playing position(s): GS
Years Club team(s) Apps
2017-2022 Manchester Thunder
2022-2023 Central Pulse
2023 Leeds Rhinos
Years National team(s) Caps
Malawi

Joyce Mvula (born 15 April 1994) is a Malawian netball player[1] and winner of two Netball Superleague titles.

Domestic career

Mvula started playing netball at age 13 and became the first Malawian to play in the Netball Superleague after she was picked up by Manchester Thunder following the Netball World Cup in 2015. She has paved the way for a number of Malawian players to join the Superleague.[2]

Mvula played for Manchester Thunder for 6 years from 2017 until 2022, winning titles in 2019 and 2022. She was named Sky Sports Fan's Favourite Player of the Season in 2019.[3] Mvula was named in the Netball Superleague All Stars team who played a series against England Netball in January 2021.[4]

After her role in Thunder's unbeaten and grand final winning season in 2022, during which Mvula scored 774 goals, she announced she would be leaving to play in another country.[5][6] Her long time coach Karen Greig said "Whilst I am disappointed that we lose Joyce, I am so proud of her that she is getting the opportunity to show how amazing she is overseas. It's been a real honour to have been part of her netball journey and I wish her all the luck in the world."[7]

Mvula signed for Central Pulse ahead of the 2023 ANZ Premiership season.[8][9][10] She made her Netball Superleague return in 2024, joining her former teammate and now coach Liana Leota at Leeds Rhinos.[11]

International career

Mvula was selected for the Malawi netball team (the Malawi Queens) in 2010, representing her country at the 2014 Commonwealth Games.[3] She was selected to represent Malawi at the 2015, 2019[12] and 2023 Netball World Cups. She was Malawi's top scorer at the 2023 World Cup.

Personal life

Mvula started playing netball at primary school before joining Blue Eagles netball club. She is a member of the Malawi Police Service.[3] She married in December 2022 and has a son.[13]

References

  1. ^ "Sacrifices for Superleague – We speak to Joyce Mvula". Manchester Thunder. Archived from the original on 18 July 2019. Retrieved 18 July 2019.
  2. ^ "Malawi's Mvula to use England experience against them at Netball World Cup". ESPN.com. 27 July 2023. Retrieved 26 July 2024.
  3. ^ a b c Thunder, Manchester (30 October 2020). "Manchester Thunder Re-Sign Malawi Queen Joyce Mvula". Retrieved 26 July 2024.
  4. ^ "Vitality Netball Legends Series: England to play Superleague 'All Stars'". BBC Sport. 15 January 2021. Retrieved 26 July 2024.
  5. ^ "Joyce Mvula moves on to new adventures overseas". Retrieved 7 June 2022.
  6. ^ Waterhouse, Richard (7 September 2023). "Joyce Mvula to return to the Netball Super League with Leeds Rhinos". Netball Super League. Retrieved 26 July 2024.
  7. ^ SkySports (15 June 2022). "Joyce Mvula joins Pulse and heads to New Zealand to play in ANZ Premiership". Retrieved 26 July 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  8. ^ "Joyce Mvula joins Pulse and heads to New Zealand to play in ANZ Premiership". www.skysports.com. 15 June 2022. Retrieved 25 November 2022.
  9. ^ "Central Pulse sign Malawi international Joyce Mvula as Aliyah Dunn's replacement". stuff.co.nz. 16 June 2022. Retrieved 25 November 2022.
  10. ^ "International shooter to join Pulse". www.pulse.org.nz. 16 June 2022. Retrieved 25 November 2022.
  11. ^ Westby, Nick (18 December 2023). "How Geva Mentor and Joyce Mvula have strengthened spine of Leeds Rhinos Netball for 2024 Super League season". Yorkshire Post. Retrieved 26 July 2024.
  12. ^ "Joyce Mvula". Netball World Cup. Archived from the original on 18 July 2019. Retrieved 18 July 2019.
  13. ^ "More than just a game for ANZ Premiership import Joyce Mvula". RNZ. 2 February 2023. Retrieved 26 July 2024.


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