In qualifying for the 2017 FIVB World Championships via the African continental process, Mutatsimpundu and Nzayisenga will be the first men’s or women’s team from their country to compete in the prestigious event. The Rwandans have competed in one FIVB-sanctioned event with a 25th at the under-23 world championships in Poland. Mutatsimpundu and Nzayisenga were also second in an African continental cup event in 2016.