chattanooga MOCS

Johnnie Jackson – Meritorious Service
Johnnie Jackson served for 21 years as the Athletics Department Administrative Assistant from 1967-1988.  She was the head secretary for all the coaches and ticket sales manager for sporting events.

Jackson was hired by the legendary A.C. Scrappy Moore and became part of the athletic family known as "mom" to scores of athletes.

Mack McCarthy – Men's Basketball – 1986-97
Mack McCarthy was the 14th Head Men's Basketball Coach in UTC's program history, but No. 1 in the record books. He amassed a 243-122 (.666) record including 135-47 (.742) in Southern Conference play. His Mocs squads went to five NCAA Tournaments including reaching the Sweet 16 in 1997.

McCarthy led eight regular season championship teams two of which came after the switch to divisions in the 1990s. Chattanooga won the SoCon Tourney five times (1988, 1993, 1994, 1995 & 1997). McCarthy and his charges were 150-31 (.829) at home, 81-10 (.890) in league play and had seven 20-win seasons.

He won SoCon Coach of the Year honors three times in 1986, 1992 and 1993. He coached 25 all-league performers with four SoCon Players of the Year (Keith Nelson – 1992, Tim Brooks – 1993, Chad Copeland – 1994 & Johnny Taylor – 1997). McCarthy also had 24 All-SoCon Tournament members with Benny Green (1988), Tim Brooks (1993) and Chad Copeland (1994) earning Most Outstanding Player.

Bob Myers – Wrestling – 1975-85
Bob Myers served as the strength coach for the UTC wrestling program throughout the 1970s and 1980s.  Myers played football at the University of Chattanooga from 1947-50 and was considered a driving force in amateur wrestling in Chattanooga, across the South.  

'Bob was one of the true supporters of amateur wrestling,' said Myron Roderick, president of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame and former wrestling coach at Oklahoma State. 'He loved the sport, loved the kids and did everything he could to foster that interest in Chattanooga and the United States.'

Mr. Myers was instrumental in the start of the Southern Open Wrestling tournament. He also was on the Chattanooga organizing committee for the U.S.-Russia wrestling dual in the spring of 1971, which was the first appearance in the South by Soviet Union wrestlers.

His major achievement in amateur wrestling came when he served as executive director of the local organizing committee for the 1993 and 1995 Freestyle World Cup competitions held in Chattanooga.

With a heart for developing the young wrestler, Myers had directed a five-month 'Judgment Day' wrestling regimented workout at his home for 40 years.

He was a former president of Enterprise Sales and Engineering and the inventor of the Myers Bar, a weight training instrument. He had written five novels and his agent was Estelle Schultz, grandmother of the late World and Olympic wrestling gold medalist Dave Schultz.

Bill Nash – Meritorious Service
Bill Nash served as the Voice of the Mocs for football and basketball for 22 seasons from 1956-77.  Nicknamed, "Nasty," Nash was the General Manager of the local WDOD radio station in Chattanooga and worked in radio and television for 45 years.

He was described as one who assisted in about every athletic project undertaken, for every sport, and a true friend of the University.  

Dr. Fred Obear – Meritorious Service
Dr. Fred Obear served as Chancellor of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga from 1981-1997.  He also held the role in an interim basis during the 2004-05 academic year.  He was a tremendous advocate for athletics throughout his tenure at UTC and continues that serve with his wife Ruth to this day. 

The couple was awarded the UTC Athletics Hall of Fame's Harold Wilkes Award in 2017.  This honor goes to a supporter, volunteer, coach, staff member or university administrator who has demonstrated exemplary leadership in furthering the success of Chattanooga Athletics in the classroom, in competition and in the community.

Dr. Obear is a native of Massachusetts and earned his Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Massachusetts at Lowell and a Ph.D. in Chemistry from the University of New Hampshire.  Since his retirement from UTC, he has won countless University and civic honors from the Chattanooga community and is currently a Chancellor Emeritus. 

In 1985, Obear was awarded an honorary doctorate of humane letters from his undergraduate alma mater.  In 1990, he was honored by the American Council on Education (ACE) for his outstanding efforts and contributions to the organization. 

Howard Sompayrac – Men's Basketball – 1948-51
Howard Sompayrac was the team captain for the Mocs during his playing career from 1948-51.  Listed as a 5-11 guard, he was inducted into the UTC Athletics Hall of Fame in 1997.  He was also among the top-15 players in school history when the Chattanooga Times produced its All-Time UTC Basketball Team in 1997.  He was a third-team selection on the all-time squad.

After moving to Chattanooga from North Carolina for his high school years, Sompayrac became a star basketball player for Chattanooga Central High School.  He went on to serve in the United States Army for two years before enrolling at the University of Chattanooga.  He was inducted into the Greater Chattanooga Hall of Fame for his basketball career at Central and UTC.

Sompayrac graduated from UTC in 1951 with a degree in Business Administration.  He served as his junior and senior class president and was also elected student body president during his time at UTC
Following graduation, Sompayrac worked for DuPont for 40 years as an industrial relations specialists.  He was also very involved in the Chattanooga community, serving as the Alumni Council president, organizer of the Chattanooga Quarterback Club, member of the Athletic Board, UC Foundation Trustee and Blue & Gold Club president.

Also very active in local politics, Sompayrac spent time as the chairman of the Hamilton County Democratic Party.  He also served 12 years as a county commissioner from District 3. 

Frank Thomas – Football – 1925-28
Frank served as the head football coach at the University of Chattanooga from 1925 to 1928.  He posted a 26-9-2 mark in four years, including three Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association titles in 1926 (share), 1927 (share) and 1928.  He was 12-0 in SIAA play over the last three years of his tenure at Chattanooga. 

Thomas went on to game as head coach at the University of Alabama from 1931 to 1946, compiling a career college football record of 141–33–9. During his tenure at Alabama, Thomas amassed a record of 115–24–7 and won four Southeastern Conference titles.  He never coached a losing season, and twice his teams had undefeated, 10-win campaigns. Thomas was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1951.

Thomas played quarterback for coach Knute Rockne at University of Notre Dame from 1920 to 1922. According to Rockne, Thomas was the smartest player he ever coached. His roommate and best friend at Notre Dame was George "The Gipper" Gipp.
In 2006, a bronze statue of Thomas was erected outside of the University of Alabama's Bryant–Denny Stadium alongside the statues of Wallace Wade, Bear Bryant, Gene Stallings and now Nick Saban, the other head coaches who have led Alabama to national championships.

Pam Yates – Women's Tennis – 1982-85
Pam Yates was a two-time All-American for the women's tennis team from 1982-85.  She was a major part of three-straight NCAA Division II National Championship teams for the Mocs (1983-85).

Yates won the Southern Conference No. 2 singles title in 1984.  That same year, she teamed with Lori Massengill to win No. 1 doubles.  Yates and Massengill repeated at the No. 2 doubles champs in 1985. 

Yates' 27-2 record in singles play in 1982-83 is second on the single-season wins list in school history.  Her 25-4 mark in doubles 1982-83 is tied for tops on the Mocs' list. 

Yates and Massengill finished third in the NCAA Doubles Championships in 1984.  Ther were runners-up at the 1985 tournament.