Former Lowell High basketball star Shyan Mwai is now an assistant coach at Tulane University. (Julia Malakie/Lowell Sun file photo)
Shyan Mwai is no stranger to fast breaks on the court.
The former Lowell High point guard is regarded as one of the all-time greats on the local hoop circuit. Her high-scoring antics are the stuff of LHS legend, trailblazing a path which led into the collegiate ranks at Iona and Long Island University.
These days, the talented hoop star’s basketball career is now taking a slightly different path in her new role as assistant women’s basketball coach/video coordinator at Tulane University.
“I’m super excited,” said Mwai, 23. “I’m adjusting. The weather is definitely different down here. The culture Is different too, but it’s a good change. I’m excited to get out into the community, meet some people and show everybody what we can bring here.”
Mwai is fresh off her first year coaching, serving as video coordinator at Stony Brook, where she worked as a graduate assistant under head coach Ashley Langford. The rookie assistant helped lead the Seawolves to a stellar 28-5 campaign. So when Langford was hired by her alma mater, Tulane University, as it’s new women’s basketball coach, she invited her assistants to join her in New Orleans. Mwai jumped at the chance.
“It was kind of a no-brainer,” said Mwai. “Although it was far away, it was something I couldn’t pass up as a full-time staff member at this level.”
Mwai oversees all video operations, from cutting film and helping with scouting, to providing video breakdowns of potential recruits. It was a multitude of tasks she learned to master at Stony Brook, as a graduate assistant/video coordinator.
“As a GA you’re pretty much into everything from recruiting to travel to whatever else is needed,” she said. “I kind of had my hand in everything, which was nice. I also work out with the team. I rebound, wherever I’m needed that’s what I’m doing. We were just playing pick-up the other day, so I’m still out there playing.”
A three-time all-conference selection and Red Raider captain, Mwai certainly left her mark at Lowell High, netting an all-time school record of 1,862 career points, the most of both the boys and girls programs. She is 600 points ahead of Ashley Rivera on the all-time list girls list.
Mwai capped her senior season at LHS in 2017-18, netting 527 points, averaging 21.1 points per game.
“I just remember winning,” said Mwai. “I think we won a lot there, playing under a great coach in Brian Myers. I wouldn’t be where I am without him today. I still talk to him about basketball, coaching and old times. I remember him guiding me through obstacles, playing with my team, winning games and just having fun wearing Lowell across my chest.”
A three-sport athlete, Mwai also played field hockey and softball. She was deeply involved within her community as a regular volunteer at the Lowell Senior Center and Greater Lowell Boys & Girls Club.
“I’m very proud to be from Lowell,” said Mwai. “And wherever I go I wear that proudly.”
Mwai headed to Iona University, where she averaged 7.8 points, 2.2 rebounds, 1.1 assists and 28.2 minutes per game during her four-year run. The 5-foot-6 guard averaged 7.3 points per game and had a career-best 43 assists and 62 rebounds her senior year, while earning MAAC All-Academic Team honors. She also picked up her bachelor’s degree in criminal justice and psychology in 2022.
With a COVID year of eligibility remaining, she then transferred to Long Island University for her graduate campaign. During her lone season at LIU in 2022-23, she appeared in all 29 games, averaging 7.4 points, 1.7 assists and 1.4 rebounds per game. But with her college career winding down, Mwai knew she had reached a crossroads on the court.
“I knew I didn’t want to play professionally,” said Mwai. “I had opportunities to play, but I just knew that I was done. I wanted to hang up the shoes and get into coaching and stay around it somehow.”
On the advice of her LIU coaches, she opted to apply to several schools to be a graduate assistant and earn her master’s degree. She got the call from Stony Brook, offering her the GA position.
“It was a good spot for me” said Mwai. “That was my fifth year in New York. It wasn’t that far away. I was familiar with the area, and I was working under a good head coach. I couldn’t pass up the opportunity.”
Now entering her first full-year as assistant coach at Tulane, Mwai is excited to see where this next chapter will take her.
“I’m looking to progress anyway I can,” said Mwai. “I look at the next couple years as a huge learning experience. I’m super young and very blessed to be in the position I’m in so early in my career. A lot of people don’t get these opportunities at this level. I look forward to learning, growing, getting more opportunities and coaching. This is the profession I want to be in.”
