Kansas

KC Current’s Chawinga named NWSL MVP

Published

1 year ago

November 22, 2024

Nov 22, 2024, 10:00 AM ET

Kansas City Current forward Temwa Chawinga was named the 2024 National Women’s Soccer League MVP on Friday, one day ahead of the league’s championship match.

Chawinga set a new single-season NWSL record with 20 goals this year for the Current.

She also scored the lone goal in the team’s quarterfinal victory and both goals in the championship of the NWSL x Liga MX Summer Cup last month.

“From the moment Temwa came to Kansas City, we knew she was capable of playing at an MVP level,” general manager Caitlin Carducci said in a statement.

“Not only has she been an incredible player on the pitch, she’s also been an incredible teammate and representative of the organization off it. Temwa laid an incredible foundation with her play in 2024, and we’re so excited for what’s to come in the years ahead.”

Chawinga is the eighth NWSL Golden Boot winner to also win MVP in the same season since the league’s launch in 2013. She is the first African international to win either award.

The 26-year-old Malawi international arrived in Kansas City this year from the Chinese Super League and took the league by storm in the first season with her eye for goal and her game-changing speed.

Chawinga scored in 13 of the Current’s final 14 matches of the regular season, including goals in eight straight games, which was a first in league history.

She also scored a goal against all 13 other NWSL teams this season, another first, and she added five assists to the Current’s league-record 57 goals this season.

Chawinga’s 20 goals broke Sam Kerr’s previous record of 18 in a season, which Kerr scored in 21 games.

Chawinga played in 25 regular-season games this year.

The next closest scorer in the regular season was Orlando Pride forward Barbra Banda, who finished with 13 goals.

Banda scored in last week’s semifinal to help Orlando eliminate Kansas City from the playoffs.

Orlando takes on the Washington Spirit on Saturday in the NWSL Championship at CPKC Stadium in Kansas City.

History of NWSL MVPs

2013: Lauren Holiday, FC Kansas City midfielder

2014: Kim Little, Seattle Reign FC midfielder

2015: Crystal Dunn, Washington Spirit forward

2016: Lynn Williams, Western New York Flash forward

2017: Sam Kerr, Sky Blue FC forward

2018: Lindsey Horan, Portland Thorns FC midfielder

2019: Sam Kerr: Chicago Red Stars forward

2021: Jess Fishlock, OL Reign midfielder

2022: Sophia Smith, Portland Thorns FC forward

2023: Kerolin, North Carolina Courage forward

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Kansas

Former Kansas high school wrestling coach charged with producing child pornography

Published

21 hours ago

March 5, 2026

Press Room

Former Kansas high school wrestling coach charged with producing child pornography

WICHITA, Kan. (KWCH) – A former Kansas wrestling coach was charged with creating child sexual abuse materials by secretly recording minors showering during an athletic competition.

According to court documents, 37-year-old Ryan Brungardt of Salina is charged with two counts of production of child pornography and one count of attempted production of child pornography.

Brungardt is a former employee at Lakewood Middle School and former wrestling coach for Salina Central High School.

Brungardt is accused of using a cellphone to record three minors while they showered in a locker room during the Tournament of Champions, a wrestling tournament was held at Newton High in January 2024.

Brungardt made his initial court appearance for the criminal complaint on Wednesday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Brooks G. Severson.

A detention hearing is scheduled for Monday

Investigators are in the process of reviewing additional seized cellphone videos in this case that are suspected to have been recorded at wrestling meets in Newton, Hays, Garden City and Salina during the 2023-2024 wrestling season.

Anyone who believes they witnessed crimes or any suspicious activity at these events is asked to contact the Kansas Bureau of Investigation at (785) 600-8790 or report at www.kbi.ks.gov/sar.

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