West High School, also known as Knoxville West High School, is a public high school in the Knox County school district located at 3300 Sutherland Avenue in Knoxville, Tennessee. The feeder schools are Bearden Middle, Northwest Middle, and West Valley Middle. With the school colors of red and blue, the West High Rebels compete in various sports competitions in their district.
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History
Knoxville West High School (West) is one of the fifteen area public high schools in the Knox County School District. The school opened its doors in 1951 on the original site of the McGhee Tyson Airport. West was one of four high schools, along with East (now Austin-East), South (now South-Doyle), and Fulton, that opened when Knoxville High School closed. Originally built to accommodate 850 students, West has undergone two major renovations and accommodates 1,300 students. The school is situated in the midtown area within five miles of the University of Tennessee.
Demographics
The demographic breakdown of the 1,478 students enrolled for the 2022-2023 school year was:
Male - 50.0%
Female - 50.0%
Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander - 0.1%
Asian - 1.8%
Black - 20.4%
Hispanic - 13.3%
White - 58.1%
Multiracial - 6.3%
Verity- 6.7%
In addition, 20.6% of the students were eligible for free or reduced lunch.
Athletics
WHS students have the opportunity to participate in the following sports: soccer, baseball, basketball, softball, football, track, cross country, cheerleading, volleyball, dance, wrestling, swim and dive, tennis, golf, lacrosse and marching band.
The West High School football team won the Tennessee state championship in 2014, 2022, and 2023.They won nationals in 2026.
Notable alumni
Gracia Alonso de Armiño, member of the Spain women's national 3x3 team at the 2024 Summer Olympics
Henry Cho, comedian
Nathan Cottrell, former NFL running back for the Jacksonville Jaguars
Don Everly and Phil Everly, the Everly Brothers
Bobby Ogdin, recording session pianist, member of Elvis Presley's TCB Band, the Marshall Tucker Band and Ween
Steven Pearl, head coach, Auburn University men's basketball
Lowell "Chuck" Ramsey, former punter for the West High Rebels, Wake Forest Demon Deacons and the New York Jets from 1977 to 1984
Jami Rogers-Anderson, opera singer
Benjamin "Coach" Wade, three-time Survivor contestant, Survivor: South Pacific runner-up in 2011
Julia Stowers, Gold medalist in Swimming at the 2000 Summer Olympics – Women's 4 × 200 metre freestyle relay