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Staff
Hoover's Jackson Sheffield (35)
Hoover's Jackson Sheffield (35)
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Photos by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
Hoover’s Khloe Ford (5) rises to shoot, guarded by Auburn’s Avari Bowley (24) in the first half of a girls Class 7A state semifinal game at Legacy Arena at the Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex on Feb. 29.
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Photo courtesy of Lindsay Handey.
Will Adams (8)
Will Adams (8)
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Photo by Erin Nelson.
Hoover’s Daisy Luna competes in the girls 400-meter dash during the Class 7A state indoor track and field meet at the Birmingham CrossPlex on Saturday, Feb. 4, 2023. Photo by Erin Nelson.
The Kiwanis Club of Birmingham hosted its 94th annual Athletic Awards luncheon on May 5 at the Harbert Center, recognizing top high school senior athletes from across Jefferson and Shelby counties.
The event honored 20 graduating student-athletes and three teams for excellence in athletics, sportsmanship and leadership. Awards were presented for individual achievement, along with special honors including the Fred Sington Award for standout teams, the William Legg Award for excellence in academics and community service and the Coach’s Choice Award for team spirit.
This year’s program featured Antoine Pettway, head coach of the Kennesaw State University men’s basketball team and a former University of Alabama standout, as the keynote speaker.
Now in its 94th year, the Kiwanis Athletic Awards program continues a long-standing tradition of recognizing student-athletes who demonstrate achievement both on and off the field. Several Hoover student-athletes were honored.
Hoover senior Jackson Sheffield was named the Kiwanis Club of Birmingham’s 2026 Boys Basketball Player of the Year. The 6-foot-10 center, a Vanderbilt signee, helped lead the Bucs to three consecutive Class 7A state championships, including a 35-0 season in 2024-25. Sheffield, a top-100 national recruit, also represented Alabama in the Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Classic in March, finishing with six points and seven rebounds.
Hoover senior Khloe Ford added another honor to a remarkable season, taking home the Kiwanis Club of Birmingham’s 2026 Girls Basketball Player of the Year award. Ford, a 6-foot-3 Missouri signee, averaged 18.1 points, 8.9 rebounds and 2.6 blocks per game and led the Bucs to their sixth straight Class 7A state title, scoring 29 points with 10 rebounds in the championship game. She was also named 2026 Alabama Miss Basketball and the MaxPreps Alabama Player of the Year. Ford finished her career with 1,362 points and 774 rebounds.
Hoover senior Will Adams was honored as the Kiwanis Club of Birmingham’s 2026 Baseball Player of the Year. The 6-foot-2 left-handed pitcher and first baseman, an LSU signee, previously represented USA Baseball’s 15U National Team and competed in the MLB High School Home Run Derby in Atlanta last summer.
Hoover senior Daisy Luna was named the Kiwanis Club of Birmingham’s 2026 Girls Track & Field Athlete of the Year. A 400-meter specialist with a personal best of 55.55 seconds, Luna has been part of multiple Hoover state championship relay teams. Luna is also a member of the National Honor Society and the Spanish Honor Society at Hoover.
The Hoover High School Lady Bucs basketball team was one of three recipients of the Kiwanis Club of Birmingham’s 2026 Fred Sington Award, which honors a standout high school team. Led by Miss Basketball Khloe Ford, the Bucs went 35-1 and captured their sixth straight Class 7A state championship, defeating Bob Jones 61-43 in the title game. Hoover head coach Krystle Johnson was recently named USA Today High School Sports Coach of the Year. The team was recognized at the Kiwanis Athletic Awards luncheon Tuesday at the Harbert Center.
Spain Park senior Bradley Williams was honored as the Kiwanis Club of Birmingham’s 2026 Boys Wrestler of the Year. Williams, a Maryland signee, capped a 60-0 senior season with his third consecutive AHSAA state championship at 157 pounds, defeating Pell City’s Talan McNutt by tech fall in the Class 6A finals. He has not lost a match since his freshman year. Williams was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes during his junior year and went on to complete two undefeated seasons with the diagnosis. He is also a three-time NHSCA All-American.
