Sophomore Kaleigh Winkle is a two- sport athlete at Coweta High School, where she competes on the basketball and soccer teams. Winkle plays at the power forward position for the Lady Tigers, where she will see starting minutes on the varsity team for the first time this season after being a huge contributor off the bench as a freshman.

“Kaleigh does a lot of the little things for us,” coach Jade Allison said. “She positions herself well for rebounding, reads the backline of our defense well, and she is a tremendous passer. Her passing skills are setting her apart at the moment, and her ability to catch on and understand the things we are teaching.

“Kaleigh is the epitome of a student- athlete,” she continued. “She’s a great kid on the court and in the classroom. She’s an extremely hard worker at both. I do think her development will play a key role in our potential success this year.”

Last season, the Lady Tigers finished 9-15 in Class 5A and were named academic state champions.

“I never got the chance to start last year, but I was a consistent varsity player, so I’m excited to see what this season holds,” Winkle said.

Outside of athletics, Winkle is involved in STUCO and is a tutor, providing academic and social guidance to younger children in Coweta. Upon graduation, Winkle plans to pursue a degree in biomedical engineering with the potential for a pre-med emphasis.

“Academics are very important to me and have always been my first priority, but I love my sports and can’t wait to continue to grow as a player,” Winkle said.

Winkle credits her dad for her success on and off the court.

“My dad has always been one of my biggest supporters and has always been there helping me to be not only the best athlete I can be but the best person I can be,” Winkle said.