Lawrence High senior Caitlin Broadwell was honored by USA Today High School Sports and the Army National Guard with the Inspiration Award, which was presented to her during the LHS spring awards ceremony Thursday. The award is given to just 15 athletes across the country.

Broadwell, a star volleyball player who also competes in the long jump and triple jump for the track and field team, was diagnosed with an overactive thyroid as a freshman. A flare-up during her junior year revealed she had Graves’ disease, leading to radiation in May 2013 and a thyroidectomy in August. She returned to the court in mid-September, earning first team All-Sunflower League honors with 177 kills and 194 digs.

Broadwell will play volleyball at the University of Nebraska at Kearney next fall.