Making the Grade - Andie Unwin (Kingwood Park High School)

KINGWOOD, Texas (FOX 26) - Kingwood Park High School senior Andie Unwin has been one of the top volleyball players and swimmers in the state. She is in the Top 3 of her class. She is a winner and a leader, and all accounts say she’s even a better person who has enjoyed growing up in Kingwood and attending Kingwood Park High School.

“It's been amazing. I’ve always said like I don't even want to go to college, I just like it here at K Park with swim, volleyball and school. It's just an atmosphere I know and I love. I love all my coaches, all my teachers and all my friends. It's been a good ride," Andie says.

It’s a ride that Andie’s teachers and coaches would agree has been great for all involved.

“Out of all the students I taught, which thousands have come through the classroom, the reason Andie stands out is because of her character. She has a character of integrity like no other kid. Always does what's right. Honest to the end. She will go to bat for friends and she will always put her part in her work. So she's probably like one of the top three kids I’ve ever come across in my teaching career,” says Kristen Nicole Lynam, an AP and Pre-AP biology teacher.

“She never lost a race in the districts. She's won 16 gold medals at her district championships. She's won 15 medals at her region championships. She's won six medals at the state level. She's been a gold medal winner in the 200 free relay at the 2018 UIL meet. She's been a member of three region title teams, a huge part of that, and she was a big part of our state runner up finish in 2018. She's left her mark here, so I know she will be proud of that,” says head girl’s swimming coach John Dissinger.

With her mark being etched athletically at Kingwood Park, the state’s top volleyball player and swimmer, who began playing sports at the age of 5, has decided to retire from sport and not compete at the college level.

“I definitely was hoping that she would choose to play, but at the same time, knowing her and knowing how much thought she puts into every decision she makes, I knew when she came and told me of her decision, that it was the right thing for her to do,” says head volleyball coach Kelly Miser.

The focus in college will be academics. Andie has a 5.675 GPA on a scale of 6.0. With a GPA like that, you’d figure she’d be number 1 in her class. She’s second.

“The person I’m competing against is, he’s very smart, he’s very driven and I mean, it’s kind of hard to beat that,” Andie says. The student she’s competing against? “Well he’s my boyfriend,” she says with a smile.

Andie is considering attending college at Notre Dame or Texas. She says she wants to cure cancer.