Induction Year 2010

Maureen McManus Porth was a four-year member of the Dowling girl’s track team and advanced as a state qualifier her junior and senior years. She was active in choir and theater all four years including school plays and musicals with her talented voice, dance and gymnastic abilities.

As a senior, Maureen provided leadership to her team at the state track meet. She finished 2nd in the State of Iowa in the 100 meter hurdles with a time of 14.59, a Dowling record that stands to this day, more than 30 years later. She also competed at the Drake Relays all four years in the 4x100, which for her was a highlight each season. As a junior, Maureen was a member of the shuttle hurdle team with Marcia Cameron, Lori Griggs and Jane Meyer. They ran a record 1:03.5 in the Metro meet, a Dowling record that was not broken until 2001. That team placed 4th in Districts.

What makes Maureen’s story so compelling is that she was diagnosed with scoliosis as a young girl and entered high school wearing a back brace. She competed as a track athlete as a freshman wearing the brace, and following corrective surgery in Minneapolis, wore a body cast while participating in track during her sophomore year.

When asked about Maureen’s track career at Dowling, Bob Nizzi remarked, Maureen was a hard-working team member and she overcame many obstacles. In her case, they were obstacles that raised her own personal sights as well as the sights of her team mates. Her attitude was always positive. How do you not admire someone that does so well and overcomes so much?

After graduating from Dowling, she attended the University of Iowa and was chosen to dance in numerous major productions at Hancher Auditorium. She is a 1980 member of the National Iowa Varsity Club. Maureen is married and lives in Waterloo with her husband Tom and their two children. She is an active participant in their Catholic Church and school. Currently, the Porths are leaders in the Cedar Valley Catholic Schools Capital Campaign which aims to build a new state-of-theart middle school as well as provide improvements at the elementary and high school levels.

Maureen is married and lives in Waterloo with her husband, Tom Porth and two young children. She is an active participant in their Catholic church and school, and is a parent school volunteer. Personally, I think adopting a child is a "leap of faith and love" for any parent who chooses to do that. Maureen has made that leap twice and is the mother of two adopted children. (Very likely the extensive x-rays and other medical procedures impacted her ability to have her own biological children.)