TRUE MAROON
STEPPERETTES More than 60 years after their first performance at a Dowling basketball game, the Stepperettes were welcomed back to campus during the 2019 Homecoming festivities at DCHS.
The Stepperettes were a precision drill team that first performed at Dowling in 1959. In the years following they performed for many high school, college and professional football and basketball audiences throughout the U.S., including several national television appearances. They won five national drill team championship titles, two National V.F.W. Championships and were inducted into the Iowa Hall of Fame. They were invited to participate in the 1961 and 1965 Presidential Inaugural parades in Washington, D.C. In 1973, they were invited and were able to attend.
It was an honor to welcome them back in celebration of their 60th anniversary and to recognize their important role in Dowling Catholic history.
ATHLETIC HALL OF FAME The following alumni were inducted into the Dowling Catholic/St. Joseph Academy Athletic Hall of Fame during Homecoming on Friday, October 4, 2019: Elliott Baker ‘11 was an Aquinas Key Excellence Medal recipient, was awarded an academic letter and named to the honor roll all four years of high school. He was a multi-sport athlete and a singles state champion in tennis. He continued his tennis career at Creighton University where he was an Intercollegiate Tennis Association Scholar Athlete from 2013 to 2015. He was named Big East Men’s Tennis Player of the Week in 2014 and was team captain and team MVP in 2015.
Jessica Campbell ’13 participated in track, volleyball and cheerleading. She was a Dr. Robert Breedlove Scholarship recipient, member of the National Honor Society and selected for the National Council on Youth Leadership. She holds school records in the 100, 200, 4x100 and 4x200. She qualified for the Drake Relays and state all four years of high school and was an individual state champion in the 200 and a member of the state champion 4x100 relay team. She continued her track career at Drake University where she was a Missouri Valley All-Conference performer.
Coach Matt Dillon served as head football coach at Dowling Catholic from 1996 to 2005. He is a 33-year veteran of both high school and college football. He has been selected as coach of the year 14 times at various levels, was named State of Iowa Coach of the Year in 2000 and twice-named All-Star Head Coach of the Year in South Florida. The crowning achievement of his career was the opportunity to serve as head football coach when Dowling Catholic won their first two back-to-back state championship titles in 2000 and 2001. He led the Maroons to the playoffs seven times during his tenure. 14
D O WLIN G CATH OLIC H IGH SC HOOL