Cinco Ranch High School senior tennis captain Abril Malvicino knows the importance of empathy, leadership and helping others. Those qualities have made her an important part of the Cougars tennis program and inspired her to pursue a career in nursing.

According to Cinco Ranch Head Tennis Coach Nolan Rush, Malvicino helped bring the team together during a challenging period last season. Her combination of empathy, accountability and determination strengthened team relationships and helped establish a culture that will benefit the program for years to come.

During a coaching transition, Malvicino served as an advocate for her teammates, communicating concerns and helping Rush build relationships with players.

“She took time and made sure everyone felt included and felt like they were a part of the team at all times,” Rush said. “She has no fear of coming up to me and saying, ‘Here are the concerns. Here's what's laid out, and I need solutions to this,’ which was really impactful for my own coaching journey as well as how the team has formed.”

Malvicino began playing tennis in fifth grade after receiving an invitation from a friend. Now a senior, she said she has grown both mentally and athletically, particularly since being named team captain.

She has embraced the leadership role by organizing team gatherings and encouraging boys and girls players to support one another during matches. Her goal is to build relationships that extend beyond the tennis court.

“I want to leave a legacy having built up the community of the team at Cinco Ranch,” Malvicino said. “I want to continue to unite the team, especially the boys and girls players, to become one family. I want that to continue well after I leave.”

While tennis remains an important part of her life, Malvicino is more focused on academics and her future in healthcare. The AP and honors student hopes to become a nurse anesthetist, with plans to gain experience in intensive care nursing along the way.

Over the summer, Malvicino participated in Memorial Hermann's Junior Volunteer Program. After completing a competitive application process, she earned a placement in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), where she supported hospital personnel and assisted with patient discharges.

The experience reinforced her interest in healthcare and gave her an opportunity to observe the work of medical professionals firsthand.

Malvicino is also involved in HOSA – Future Health Professionals, an organization originally called Health Occupations Students of America, supporting students pursuing careers in healthcare.

For Malvicino, her career aspirations are rooted in personal experiences and a desire to better understand medical challenges faced by her loved ones.

“I’ve had a lot of family members with cancer,” Malvicino said. “I have a grandpa with diabetes, and I don’t understand a lot of it. I really want to study medicine and get a good knowledge of it. And I think I’m a very empathetic person. I feel like that’s definitely something that I would find rewarding as a career.”

As she prepares for college, Malvicino hopes to continue playing club tennis while pursuing her nursing education. She credits the sport with teaching her valuable lessons in leadership, teamwork and perseverance while introducing her to some of her closest friends.

Whether supporting her teammates on the court or preparing for a future caring for patients, Malvicino hopes to continue making a difference through the same empathy and leadership that have defined her time at Cinco Ranch.