Ackim Mpofu
Ricky Zililo, Senior Sports Reporter
FORMER Highlanders and national Under-15 player Ackim Mpofu has been honoured in the United States of America for his consistent performance academically and on the sports field at the Northeastern University.
Mpofu (21), a striker turned defender, was on Thursday named into the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) All-CAA Third Team for a second consecutive year. The CAA, which is located in the East Coast states from Massachusetts to South Carolina, is a collegiate athletic conference affiliated to the National Conference Athletic Association (NCAA).
According to the Northeastern University’s website, the former St Columba’s pupil played 16 out of Northeastern’s 17 matches, leading the Huskies in minutes played (1,246 min) while averaging more than 83.9 minutes per start.
Mpofu, who moved to America in 2012, is pursuing a Political Science and International Affairs degree and said his exploits on the field have seen him attract interest from the US’ topflight Major League Soccer (MLS).
“I’m really honoured and humbled to be part of the All-CAA Third Team for a second consecutive year. I’m happy that my hard work is being recognised. I’ll continue working hard because there are a number of MLS teams that I’m told have been monitoring my progress.
“Because of interest from the topflight, I had to cut my holiday, returning to America in July instead of August where I participated at some tournaments which had MSL scouts,” said Mpofu.
Northeastern, better known as the Huskies have rewarded the former national Under-15 player, who represented Zimbabwe in the 2010 Juniors’ World Cup in Singapore, with the vice-captaincy.
Northeastern men’s soccer head coach Chris Gbandi named four members of the Huskies’ 2016 leadership core, as jointly selected by the team’s players and coaches.
“Our leadership group for the upcoming season will comprise captains Harry Swartz and Jonathan Thuresson as well as vice-captains Marc Greenblatt and Ackim Mpofu,” Gbandi told the university’s website — @ZililoR.