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On Oct. 10, 1981, the St. Joseph Academy tennis team won the school's first state championship by winning the WISAA (Wisconsin Independent Schools Athletic Association) state tennis title. The Sajoacs captured first place in No. 2 singles, and No. 1 and 2 doubles in their fifth consecutive trip to state (the title eluded them by a point in 1980). Nationally ranked sophomore Shari Brimmer swept the No. 2 singles event. The doubles team of Susan Mortell and Kathy Schneider won the No. 1 doubles event in a breathtaking tiebreaker. Mary Garland and Jane Marnocha won the No. 2 doubles events, icing the championship for SJA. Jenny Mortell took fourth place in a tough No. 1 singles slot.

The Sajoacs enjoyed an undefeated season in 1981. The depth of the team was so impressive that every player played at every position. Conference meets were played against Xavier, Menasha St. Mary and Fox Valley Lutheran, and SJA emerged victorious in each one. The team was coached by 2020 Triton Academic and Athletic Hall of Fame inductee Ann Dorr Mortell (SJA 1951) and Judy Krueger.

Members of the 1981 WISAA state championship team were seniors Mary (Garland) Schaupp, Jenny Mortell and Sarah (Turek) Wittig; juniors Holly (Delahaut) Butenhoff, Jane Marnocha, Gayle Fosterling-Pearson and Mary Touscany; sophomores Shari Brimmer, Anne (Broeren) Millington, Mary Ellen Gallagher, Mary (Krueger) Graaskamp, Susan Mortell, Kelly (Scherer) Chandler, Kathy (Schneider) Zimmermann and Suzanne (Woodward) Szuhaj, and freshmen Cindy (Berner) Lasecki, Michelle (Hartmann) Puryear, Tracey (Meyer) Buettell and Holly (Phillips) Brand.