Ada, Okla. – While almost everybody in Chattanooga knows that the UTC basketball Mocs won the national championship, probably fewer people know that another UTC team took a national title.

During the summer, four young ladies went to Ada, Oklahoma, and when they returned, all four were national champions individually as well as collectively.

Elizabeth Sharp, Billie Abney, Laura Green, and Phyllis Blackwell reached the AIAW "Rocky Top" in small college tennis. They obtained this goal by defeating such teams as the University of Denver, California at Bakersfield, Troy State, and Oral Roberts in the national tournament.

Individually, Elizabeth took the national title in both singles and doubles, number one position. For this, she received recognition from Sports Illustrated with an "Award of Merit."

Sharing the national doubles position one title with Miss Sharp was Billie Abney. Phyllis Blackwell took the national title in singles and doubles position two. Her partner for the doubles title was Laura Green.

Sharp defeated Catholic's Barbara Migaki (6-1, 6-3) for the No. 1 crown.  She and Abney defeated Cal State Bakersfield's Stacy Dancy and Liza Rapfogel (6-3, 6-1) at No. 1 doubles. 

These young ladies were not the only ones who made the Mocnets a team to be feared last spring and summer. Susan Carson, Julie Dunn and Brenda Hastings helped the previous four defeat such powers as Big Ten champions Ohio State, Alabama, Wisconsin, the men of Millikin College, and UTK.

Individual National Champions
Singles
No. 1 - Elizabeth Sharp
No. 2 – Phyllis Blackwell

Doubles
No. 1 - Elizabeth Sharp/Billie Abney
No. 2 – Phyllis Blackwell/Laura Green

Parts of this recap came from the UTC Echo (9/2/1977 – Daniel Duncan).