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By EMILY SPARACINO | Staff Writer

HOOVER – Spain Park High School senior Audrey Rothman has added another honor to her long list of accolades.

The Finley Committee named Rothman SPHS’s 2022 Finley Character Award winner during a ceremony on Monday, Feb. 28.

“This is the biggest compliment that I can receive, that all of you see me as a kind person,” Rothman said. “I wake up every single day, and I pray that I can just help and be loving to other people and bring a smile to their faces. Thank you so much. It really is the biggest compliment in the world to me.”

A standout in volleyball and in school, Rothman was named the county’s Player of the Year following Spain Park’s first state championship in school history in October.

Rothman finished the 2021 season as the county’s leader in kills with 709, and also posted 247 digs, 71 blocks and 67 aces.

She finished the state championship match with 24 kills and 12 digs to lead the Jags to a sweep in the title.

Rothman finished her career at Spain Park with 1,858 kills and 1,344 digs. She earned a spot on the All-County Team, the state’s Player of the Year, a First Team Under Armour All-American nod and a spot on the MaxPreps All-American First Team.

In addition, Rothman was named the Alabama Gatorade Player of the Year winner for the sport of volleyball, becoming the first in program history to reach that mark.

The Gatorade Player of the Year award, which recognizes not only outstanding athletic excellence, but also high standards of academic achievement and exemplary character demonstrated on and off the court, distinguishes Rothman as Alabama’s best high school volleyball player.

There were 22 senior nominees at Spain Park High School and 36 senior nominees at Hoover High School for the 2022 Finley Character Award. From the list of senior nominees, the Finley Committee selected a senior winner from each high school.

Finley Award grade-level winners were also named at each school in the district.

Joining Rothman as 2022 Finley Character Award winners were Hoover High School senior Rotimi Kukoyi and Riverchase Elementary School Principal Dr. Alice Turney.