Lughano’s name means ‘Love’ in her mother tongue, Chitumbuka. And Lughano Nyondo is a young woman on an incredible journey, which she approaches with quiet strength and adaptability.

Since joining Ascent as a 12-year-old in 2017, her athletic and academic development has been remarkable.

Discovered on a dirt pitch as the only female player confident enough to attend an open trial in Mzuzu, Malawi’s most northern city. British Soccer writer Alex Stewart, in his article for the Set Pieces, captured the moment of discovery. “She immediately stands out: poised, calm, seeming to have more time on the ball than anyone else, the mark of genuine quality…watching her glide around the pitch, I understand the excitement of discovery, of seeing a player who just has whatever indefinable quality it is that means they have ‘it’ when so many don’t.”

After relocating to Lilongwe, some 350km from her home, Lughano excelled on the field and at private school, finishing top of her class.

Her story caught the eye of French Dog Films, a US-based production house for the docu-series ‘This Girl Wears Cleats’. This led to support for Lughano to attend Bishop Mackenzie School in Lilongwe, Malawi’s top International School. A year later, and following a trip to Lyon to complete filming for ‘This Girl Wears Cleats’ at the Women’s World Cup final in France, Lughano earned a scholarship to Connecticut’s Indian Mountain School.

In her first year abroad, Lughano finished as the soccer MVP and top scorer for the girls' varsity squad, setting up a four-year, full scholarship to the Brooks School in Massachusetts.

And even an ocean away, Lughano is already getting the attention Malawi’s U17 and U20 female national team squads, and she’s just getting started!