Semaglutide Medical Weight Loss in Maryville, TN

McKenna Gibson's career with may be over, but the former All-American infielder isn't going far.

Gibson was hired as the Maryville High School softball assistant coach, the team announced June 24. Gibson was a four-year starter for the Lady Vols and helped lead them to two Women's College World Series semifinals in 2023 and 2025.

There are now former Lady Vols on both sides of the Alcoa-Maryville rivalry. Former Tennessee star Sarah Fekete Bailey, who had her jersey retired in 2022, is the Alcoa coach. Bailey led Alcoa to its first-ever TSSAA state title in 2022, and the Tornadoes were the TSSAA Class 2A runner-up this season.

Gibson was a staple of Tennessee's infield the last four seasons, whether she played at first or third base. She hit .316 over her career with 45 home runs, 175 RBIs and 100 runs scored with a .586 slugging percentage and .438 on base percentage.

Gibson's 45 career homers rank No. 5 in program history, and her career slugging percentage ranks No. 10.

The Santa Clarita, California, native had a career-best season as a sophomore, playing a pivotal role in Tennessee's run to the 2023 WCWS, which was its first since 2015. Gibson hit .362 in 2023 with 15 home runs, 60 RBIs, 59 runs scored, 39 walks and a .718 slugging percentage.

Gibson was named to the All-SEC first team twice in her career, and she was named to the NFCA All-American second team in 2023.

Cora Hall covers University of Tennessee women’s athletics. Email her at cora.hall@knoxnews.com and follow her on X @corahalll. If you enjoy Cora’s coverage, consider a digital subscription that allows you to access all of it.

MARYVILLE, Tenn. (WVLT) - You can jump into the paintings of one of the world’s most revered artists at the Foothills Mall! Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience is now open in Maryville.

“You’re literally bathed in his works, and it is an incredibly Zen-like and serene experience, also all choreographed to a custom score,” the executive producer of the exhibit, John Zaller, said.

Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience is using digital technology to take the troubled artist’s works right off the canvas.

“When we found that we could bring projectors and animation together, we realized that we could create a show that had that brought art to life like never before,” said Zaller. “And there’s no better artist to start with than Vincent van Gogh, whose work is iconic and is already filled with movement in the brush strokes themselves.”

With more than 400 of his works on display in different forms, Zaller said you can connect with Van Gogh on a more personal level.

“You get to know the artist, not only through his artworks, but also through his personal story, which is an incredible story of hope and aspiration, but also struggle and strife,” Zaller said. “And in some way, he managed to combine all of those things, bring them all together to channel the most immortal art that’s ever been created in the in the modern world.”

Zaller said the exhibit is fun and educational for the whole family.

“Do your selfie, have a great social media moment, but it also allows you to cross that threshold and enter his world in a more magical way,” said Zaller.

At the end of exhibit, virtual reality transports you back in time to 1800s France.

“You put this headset on and you see the world through Van Gogh’s eyes like never before possible,” Zaller said. “You actually walk with him through the south of Paris and watch his countryside that he loved so much turn into 10 of his most iconic paintings.”

Open through the summer, Zaller said you expect additional programming including camps, yoga lessons and painting classes.

You can learn more about the exhibit and buy your tickets here.

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