BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Tennessee softball’s McKenna Gibson and Karlyn Pickens have been named to the 2025 Preseason All-SEC Team, the league office announced Thursday. The 24-player team was released alongside the SEC preseason poll.
In the coaches’ poll, Tennessee was picked fourth in the SEC. Texas earned seven first-place votes and was selected first, while Florida and Oklahoma were picked second and third, respectively. Florida received six first-place votes, and Oklahoma garnered two.
Tennessee enters the 2025 season as back-to-back SEC regular-season champions for the first time in program history. The Lady Vols return 15 players from the 2024 championship team, including nine who helped capture both conference titles.
Over the past two seasons, Tennessee has dominated SEC play, winning nine consecutive conference series dating to 2023 and emerging victorious in 15 of the last 16.
A native of Weaverville, North Carolina, Pickens was a consensus first-team All-American following a standout sophomore season in 2024. She finished the year with a 22-7 record and a 1.12 ERA, earning SEC Pitcher of the Year honors. She joins Monica Abbott as the only Lady Vols to win the award.
Pickens made 38 appearances last season, including 27 starts, and threw 15 complete games with 12 shutouts and a save. Over 188.1 innings pitched, the right-hander struck out 225 batters and held opponents to a .156 batting average.
Gibson, a two-time All-SEC first-team selection and a 2023 NFCA Second Team All-American, enters her senior season in 2025. The Santa Clarita, California, native has a career slash line of .321/.584/.440 with 33 home runs and 131 RBIs. Her home run total ranks 10th all-time in program history.
Tennessee opens the 2025 season Thursday, Feb. 6, at the NFCA Leadoff Classic in Clearwater, Florida.
2025 Tennessee Preseason Award Honors as of Jan. 30
INF Emma Clarke D1Softball D100 Freshman Softball America Freshman Watchlist
INF Amayah Doyle D1Softball D100 Freshman Softball America Freshman Watchlist
P Erin Nuwer D1Softball D100 Freshman Softball America Freshman Watchlist
INF/OF Taylor Pannell D1Softball Top 100 – No. 80 Softball America Top 100 – No. 58
P Karlyn Pickens Preseason All-SEC USA Softball Top 53 Watch List D1Softball Preseason First-Team All-American D1Softball Top 100 – No. 4 Softball America Preseason First-Team All-American Softball America Top 100 – No. 4
MCDOWELL COUNTY, N.C. (FOX Carolina) – The McDowell County Emergency Management said crews are battling three wildfires in McDowell County that were first reported on Wednesday.
Officials said the Crooked Creek Fire is located in Old Fort and the Watson Place and North Fork Fires are located in Marion.
Crews stated that gusty winds are pushing the fire making it difficult to control.
As of 5:30 a.m. on Thursday, officials said firefighters remain on scene at both the Crooked Creek Fire and the North Fork Fire.
Crooked Creek Fire
Emergency management initially reported this wildfire as “out of control” and said it was caused by a tree falling on a power line.
As of 6:55 a.m. on Thursday, officials report the fire is 55 percent contained and has burned 250 acres. Crews made significant progress overnight as winds diminished and relative humidity increased leading to lower fire activity.
An evacuation order was lifted at 8 a.m. on Thursday after residents living in the 3000-4500 block of Bat Cave Road, Pine Cove Road, Julia Drive, Roy Moore Road, including all side roads were asked to leave the area.FOX Carolina’s Alexa Erbach is at the scene.
Officials later extended the evacuation recommendation to the 1000 block of Lavender Road and all of Cozy Cove Drive after they said the fire crossed over the roadway due to high winds.
According to emergency management, an emergency shelter was opened at First Baptist Church in Old Fort on East Main Street.
Multiple outbuildings have been destroyed with one home suffering damage. No homes have been destroyed and no injuries or fatalities have occurred.
Watson Place
Officials also report crews are working to contain a fire at 80 Watson Place on US 221 North in Marion.
At this time, there are not any evacuation orders at this time, but the public is asked to avoid the area.
North Fork Fire
At around 4 p.m., officials said another fire was reported in the Good Road area in the Woodlawn Community in Marion.
There are no active evacuation orders for the North Fork Fire at this time.
Fire officials are staged along Good Road and American Thread Road to monitor nearby homes and provide structure protection as needed.
At this time, the cause of the North Fork Fire is unknown.
UPDATE: The three bills in the Special Legislative Special are heading to Governor Bill Lee’s desk.
The special session is officially over as of about 3:30 p.m. yesterday (Thursday) afternoon. The House and Senate passed all three of the focal points of the Governor’s proposed school choice program, a disaster relief package for those affected by Hurricane Helene and an immigration bill is headed to his desk for a final signature.
The Governor’s $500 million School Choice Program plan will give 20,000 students about $7,000 each in public dollars to help them pay for private school.
Original Story: Governor Bill Lee’s special session is moving along as the Senate has now passed two of the three bills that the session was called to discuss.
This session started Monday evening and as of yesterday (Wednesday), the Senate has passed an immigration bill and a disaster relief bill that would help victims of Hurricane Helene in Tennessee. The school voucher or Education Freedom Act is expected to pass but is still being discussed.
These bills will still have to be passed by the House in order to head to Lee’s desk to be signed
The disaster relief bill will invest more than $450 million in direct relief for Tennesseans who are still dealing with the estimated $1.2 billion in damage-related costs from Helene.
The immigration bill will provide incentives for promoting the enforcement of federal immigration and criminal penalties for officials who adopt sanctuary policies and create a centralized immigration enforcement division within the Department of Safety which will require them to issue non-citizens a temporary driver’s license instead of a standard license, to help determine voter eligibility.
The House is expected to vote on these bills before the end of the week.
A Maryville man convicted of plotting to murder Knoxville FBI employees is now saying his case should be thrown out because it’s related to the January 6, 2021 Capitol insurrection.
35 year-old Edward Kelley was at the Capitol that day and he was found guilty of destroying government property and impeding police officers. That’s not where it stops, however.
According to the U.S. Department of Justice, Kelley was awaiting trial for participating in the Capitol breach when he put together a plan to attack the Knoxville FBI office. That plan involved putting together a kill list, to be acted on with car bombs and drones.
Now, Kelley is arguing Donald Trump’s blanked pardon for those involved on January 6th should also apply to his murder plotting charges, since it was related.
Kelley is expected to face sentencing on May 7th, if his charges are not covered by Trump’s pardon.
KNOXVILLE – The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation unveiled two new, innovative resources on Wednesday to meet the needs of the state’s growing senior population.
The first, TBI Find, is a mobile application, available now for both Apple and Android devices, to connect the public with up-to-the minute information about Silver Alerts issued in Tennessee. The app, more than two years in development, also provides key information to connect seniors and those who care for them with resources designed to support and educate.
“We believe this to be the first mobile app of its kind in the nation,” said Shelly Smitherman, TBI’s Assistant Special Agent in Charge overseeing the Bureau’s Missing Persons Unit. “TBI Find is a powerful tool, giving you instant alerts and vital resources, and it can also be a game changer for law enforcement in an emergency.”
A central part of the TBI Find app is its CareKit feature, which enables users to compile key information and pictures on loved ones, which can be compiled and emailed to law enforcement in the event of an emergency. Though designed for seniors, TBI recommends parents of children consider using the CareKit feature of the TBI Find app as well, as updated information and pictures can be hinderances in any missing persons emergency.
“Too many times we issue Silver, AMBER, or Endangered Child alerts with out-of-date pictures or incomplete or inaccurate details of the missing person,” Smitherman said. “This app empowers the public to prepare for an emergency – before it happens – which can definitely help us help them when it matters most.”
The second initiative TBI launched on Wednesday is its SafeSeniorTN campaign, available online at http://www.SafeSeniorTN.com. Combining the expertise of agents in its Medicaid Fraud Control Division and Cybercrime & Digital Evidence Unit, and supported by partner agencies and other stakeholders, SafeSeniorTN provides easy-to-understand guidance on a variety of technology, financial, and personal safety topics to prevent crimes impacting seniors.
“We’re tired of seeing seniors being victimized, when common-sense advice could have saved both headache and heartache,” said Andy Corbitt, TBI’s Special Agent in Charge of its Medicaid Fraud Control Division in East Tennessee. “That’s why we’ve worked to bring together the best guidance in one, trustworthy resource we can update as technology and crime evolves.”
Currently, SafeSeniorTN includes information on topics including email and text messaging safety and technology, along with healthcare fraud and patient abuse. Throughout, the site aims to offer clear and concise details on warning signs and how to report crimes or concerns.
“I’m proud of our team for taking the lead and thinking outside the box to protect and serve this growing segment of our state’s population,” said TBI Director David Rausch. “We’re thankful for our partners at other state agencies and nonprofits we work with across Tennessee. Together, we’re committed to working together to find smarter ways to educate and serve together.”
“Older adults contribute so much to our communities, and it’s so important that we equip them with the tools and knowledge they need to protect against bad actors,” said DDA Commissioner Brad Turner. “I’m grateful for the collaboration with the TBI and our aging partners to develop resources that can truly make a difference in improving the safety and wellbeing of our aging community.”
“The safety and well-being of our seniors are among our highest priorities,” TDH Commissioner Ralph Alvarado, MD, FACP said. “The TBI Find and SafeSeniorTN initiatives reflect our partnership’s commitment and our collective responsibility to protect our loved ones and ensure we are equipped with the tools to make a difference in their lives.”
Two students are charged after a device resembling an explosive is found at a Hawkins County School.
The Hawkins County Sheriff’s Office says school resource officers were notified of a rumor of a possible explosive device on school property at Volunteer High School yesterday ( Wednesday), so the school was placed on a green lockdown.
Law enforcement found a device resembling an explosive which was determined to be non-operational and non-explosive.
After the two students were charged, the lockdown was lifted.
No students or staff members at the school were in danger at any time.
Knoxville, TN (WOKI) The Knoxville Police Department is investigating a rash of car break-ins in the West Knoxville area.
KPD says the break-ins stretched from Sequoyah Hills to the Farrington neighborhood and involved at least nine vehicles, five of which were unlocked according to police.
KPD says two firearms were also stolen and is reminding gun owners to be responsible, to remove your gun from your vehicle whenever your car is parked at home and take it inside.
“We do know that, oftentimes, criminals that are taking advantage and committing these burglaries are looking for guns, but we just ask people to be responsible gun owners — whenever that car is parked at your residence, at home, to remove that gun and take it inside,” said KPD Communications Manager Scott Erland.
The department urges anyone with information about the car break-ins to reach out to them via KPD’s non-emergency phone number at 865-215-4010.
The police department said five of the nine affected cars were unlocked and two firearms were stolen. (Frankly Media)
Knoxville, TN (WOKI) The Knoxville Police Department is now another of several other agencies investigating a scattering of Klu Klux Klan propaganda posters.
This after Sweetwater police confirmed that the posters had shown up in their city, Lenoir City, Athens and Chattanooga.
KPD says one official report was made of the flyers being located in the West Hills community with other potential sightings reported through social media and online channels.
KPD says it is working to determine where the flyers, which appear to be propaganda associated with the Trinity White Knights of the Ku Klux Klan, originated from.
The department adds that it has notified the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force as well as the Tennessee Fusion Center regarding the presence of the flyers.
Anyone with information is asked to call police.
Knoxville Skyline from the Bluffs (Courtesy: WVLT / Camruinn Morgan-Rumsey)
Knoxville, TN (WOKI) A wanted man is in custody and a large cache of suspected fentanyl pills is off the streets following an arrest Monday by the Knoxville Police Department.
KPD says 34-year-old Shaquan Andrews was wanted on outstanding warrants for aggravated domestic assault and aggravated kidnapping.
Officers arrested Andrews early Monday morning at the Casey’s located at 2518 N. Broadway following an alert about a vehicle potentially connected to a wanted man.
KPD says a search following the arrest resulted in the discovery of over 120 grams of suspected fentanyl pills and over $20,000 in cash. Officials add that Andrews was booked early Monday morning for the outstanding warrants and parole violations.
KPD officials said Shaquan Andrews was wanted on outstanding warrants for aggravated domestic assault and aggravated kidnapping. (Courtesy: KPD)
Here are their policies: To ensure a safe and fun family-friendly environment, the Tennessee Valley Fair implements rules and regulations for having the best time! (courtesy of tnvalleyfair.org)
Knoxville Police Department
All 10 days, Knoxville Police Department is on-site monitoring the safety of the fairgrounds and fairgoers. If you have any issues about safety, please reach out to a Fair official or a Knoxville Police Department Officer.
Code of Conduct
The Knoxville Police Department and other safety officers will enforce all applicable laws and ordinances.
All patrons subject to search and must be in accordance with our Bag Policy.
Be respectful of all patrons, guests & staff.
Any form of violence, including threats of violence, will not be tolerated.
No weapons of any kind.
Unruly or disruptive behavior or action deemed unsafe will not be tolerated.
Profanity and other abusive language or gestures are prohibited.
Public intoxication is prohibited and is cause for removal from the property.
Underage consumption of alcohol is strictly prohibited and is cause for removal from the property.
Dress Code: Shirts and shoes must be worn at all times. Clothing with offensive language, obscene gestures/graphics, nudity, or clothing that does not sufficiently cover undergarments are prohibited.
No illegal substances are allowed.
No outside food or beverage.
Solicitation or distribution of items is prohibited.
Any person violating this Code of Conduct or violating anything deemed inappropriate may be removed from the property.
Minor Attendance Policy
To ensure the safety of all our guests, the Tennessee Valley Fair has instituted the following policies:
On both Fridays and Saturdays starting at 5:00pm, all attendees under 18 years of age (minors) must be accompanied by a parent and/or legal guardian 21 years of age or older. Proof of age and valid identification cards will be required at the gate.
For each parent or legal guardian, 6 minors can enter. Any group with more than 6 minors will require an additional parent and/or legal guardian 21 years of age or older.
Parents and/or legal guardians must remain on-site and with attending minors. Dropping off and/or leaving minors unaccompanied is strictly forbidden. Failure to abide by this policy will result in immediate dismissal from the property.
This policy will pertain only to Fridays and Saturdays.
Metal Detection
All attendees are subject to screening via metal detectors. Screenings will be conducted by Tennessee Valley Fair Security Officials upon entry. (This change is a state requirement per Tennessee Public Chapter 467, which took effect July 1, 2017.)
Bag Search and Bag Policy
Clear bags are the only bags permitted. All bags will be checked by security upon entry, regardless of shape, size or necessity.
Approved Bags:
Clear bags of any size/shape
Small clutches/purses, no larger than 4.5 inches by 6 inches
Diaper bags when accompanied by a minor child
Medically necessary bags
All approved bags are subject to search and may be tagged to indicate they have been approved by Knoxville Police Department/Tennessee Valley Fair Security Officials.
Prohibited Bags:
All non-clear bags such as:
Backpacks
Printed pattern plastic bag
Cross-body bag
Fanny pack
Purses
Coolers
Reusable grocery totes
Mesh bags / Cinch bags
Duffel bags
Large tote bags
Beverage containers
Camera cases
Brief cases
Any bags deemed unsafe by the Knoxville Police Department/Tennessee Valley Fair Security Officials.
Non-Permissible Items
Selfie sticks
Guns, knives, and weapons of any kind
Outside food and beverages
Pets except for service animals
Drones
Any items deemed unsafe by the Knoxville Police Department/Tennessee Valley Fair Security Officials.
Drones Policy
In accordance with FAA regulations and for the safety of our fairgoers, drones and other motorized, aircraft systems are prohibited from flying above or near the fairgrounds.
Weather PolicyThe Tennessee Valley Fair is a rain or shine event including all events and concerts taking place. No rain checks or refunds will be issued. The Tennessee Valley Fair with the Knoxville Police Department and the National Weather Service monitors all potentially hazardous weather conditions. In the event the National Weather Service announces a severe weather warning within a 5-mile radius of Chilhowee Park and Exposition Center, weather advisories will be announced immediately on the public-address system directing guests to seek shelter. Designated severe weather shelters are located at the Jacob Building and the Kerr Building. If a concert or special event is taking place, the event will be delayed, postponed, or canceled depending on the severity and duration of the weather event. Fairgoers will be notified of any weather-related announcements via social media, tnvalleyfair.org website, and through emails.
Soliciting
Soliciting, selling items, promoting other events, organizations, etc. are strictly prohibited without prior approval from the Tennessee Valley Fair.
Attire
Appropriate attire always required for a family-friendly atmosphere.
Personal Conduct Conduct should be maintained for a family-friendly atmosphere.
Lost or Stolen Items The Tennessee Valley Fair is not responsible for lost or stolen items in cars or on person attending the fair.
Ticket Sales Policies
If tickets are purchased through a third-party provider, the Tennessee Valley Fair cannot guarantee authenticity. Please purchase all of your tickets through the Tennessee Valley Fair website – www.tnvalleyfair.org/tickets or by calling our ticket office at 865-215-1482. Lost and stolen tickets are the responsibility of the purchaser.
All tickets, wristbands, and coupons become void after the last day of the fair.
Photo Policy
Photo, video, and audio may be taken for promotional purposes. By entering the Tennessee Valley Fairgrounds, you consent, waive all rights to royalties, and release the Tennessee Valley Fair of any liability. You agree to your likeness used, published or reproduced in any and all media which can be used, now or in the future, for any purpose by or in connection with the Tennessee Valley Fair. For additional information or to opt out of this agreement, consent, waiver and release, please call 865-215-1471.
Rules: The Tennessee Valley Fair reserves the right to construe its own rules and regulations to decide the matters and difference in regards thereto. Fair information, logos, likeness, and ads cannot be printed or used without permission from the Tennessee Valley Fair.
