Namibian netball captain Cornelia Mupenda says her move to Australia will help her develop her game further as she prepares to lead the Debmarine Desert Jewels at the 2027 Netball World Cup in Sydney.
Mupenda has signed a two-year contract with Peninsula Waves, where she will compete in the Victorian Netball League from next season.
The move follows a successful period at the University of Johannesburg (UJ), where she helped the team win its first Varsity Netball title, bringing an emotional end to a journey that began in 2021. Speaking to Desert FM on Thursday, Mupenda said her five years in South Africa helped shape her both as a player and as a person, preparing her for the challenge of competing in a new environment.
“I’m really excited for this new chapter and I can’t wait [to see] what’s in store for me,” she said. Mupenda described the opportunity as a dream come true, reflecting on her journey from Omaruru, where she grew up with ambitions of playing netball at the highest level.
She said her experiences in South Africa, including competing in the Telkom Netball League and Varsity Netball, as well as working with different coaches and teammates, had contributed to her development.
The 2027 season will present a new challenge, with Mupenda expecting a physically demanding and tactically competitive environment in Australia. She said she wanted to step outside her comfort zone, improve as a defender and contribute to Peninsula Waves’ success. “This is an opportunity to challenge myself and continue to grow as a defender,” she said. Her move comes after an eventful 2026 campaign, during which she helped UJ secure the Varsity Netball title and captained the Desert Jewels at the African Netball Cup, where she was named best defender.
Mupenda described UJ’s triumph as particularly emotional because of the years of hard work that had gone into pursuing the title.
“Winning the Varsity Netball title with UJ, especially in my final, was such an emotional and special moment for me because we’ve been working so hard since 2021,” she said.
Attention will now turn to the world cup in Sydney, where Namibia will seek to compete among the leading teams in the sport. Mupenda said the Desert Jewels were working towards a top-10 finish, while she hoped her time in Australia would allow her to acquire new skills and experience before the global tournament. She also urged young Namibian netball players to remain committed to their ambitions, regardless of their backgrounds.
“Work hard, stay disciplined, remain humble and most importantly keep God at the centre of everything,” she said.
Mupenda further stressed the importance of education, saying academic performance could help young players access scholarships and opportunities to develop their sporting careers. “Never stop believing in your dreams regardless of where you come from,” she said.
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