By Ken Lay
One of Knoxville’s top high school coaches was honored Thursday night.
Gibbs High School softball coach Carol Mitchell, who was named 2025 NFHS Coach of the Year in January, was honored by school, county and community officials who joined state Representative Dave Wright in a pregame ceremony before the Lady Eagles’ 4-3 victory over Maryville at Zachary-Mitchell Field.
In a proclamation by the state house, Mitchell was honored for her leadership. The Gibbs High School graduate took over the reins for the softball program at her alma mater in 1993 and is the winningest coach in TSSAA history, ranking fifth in wins among active national high school softball coaches.
Joining Mitchell and Wright at the ceremony were Gibbs principal Jason Webster, Knox County athletic director Dustin Mynatt, state Representative Michele Carringer, KCS athletic director Bryan Brown, Knox County Commissioner Adam Thompson and Knox County School Board member Travis Wright.
Thompson, a 1999 Gibbs High School graduate, commended Mitchell for her accomplishments as a coach and a mentor.
“Coach Carol is one in a million,” Thompson said, “If you look at the young ladies that she’s mentored, they’ve gone on to become very successful adults. You hear about things like this happening in other places.
“But when it happens in your hometown and your alma mater, it’s special. I went to school here, and I graduated in 1999.”
The Lady Eagles finished the regular season with a 27-15-2 overall record and were District 4-3A regular-season co-champions, sharing the title with Clinton.
During her tenure as coach at Gibbs, Mitchell has amassed more than 1,100 victories and guided the Lady Eagles to seven state championships.
Mitchell, who graduated from Gibbs in 1987, credited her players for her success.
“Any time you win an award like that, it’s because of the kids,” she said. “They all made a difference in the program and they were responsible for any of my success.”
