50 Years of Title IX
It’s not too much of a stretch to say that Title IX changed Terry Porter’s life. It was 1975. Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 was being implemented. Mesa College Athletic Director Wayne Nelson was rolling out women’s sports, starting with tennis during the spring of 1975 and followed by basketball that fall.
Porter enjoyed sports but had few opportunities to play competitively. With the exception of tennis and track, girls’ sports were sidelined as clubs at Grand Junction High School. “It was pre-Title IX, so we had a couple of what you would call ‘club teams,’ but it’s not like club sports. It was truly like the music club or granola club, or something like that,” Porter laughed.
Porter graduated with academic honors from Mesa College before completing a bachelor’s degree in math education at the University of Northern Colorado. During her time at Mesa, she joined student government and the first Mesa College Women’s Basketball Team. Unlike today, there was no recruiting nor tryouts.
“We signed up because we liked to play,” said Porter, recalling a nursing student from Texas who had formidable skills from playing three-on-three ball in high school. “She knew how to really shoot the shots and play some serious basketball. We all kind of learned from each other,” she recalled, adding that each team member received a token $50 to $100 scholarship and a pair of Converse court shoes.
Porter also played softball at Mesa College for one season, when that program began in 1976. Knee and ankle injuries cut her competitive days short, but they didn’t keep Porter from participating in women’s sports — this time on the other side of the whistle.
Porter recalls a bulletin board outside the Mesa College women’s locker room. There, she saw a flyer seeking referees for the inaugural season of high school girls’ volleyball. “As a college kid, you’re always looking for ways to make money, so I signed up. I’ve been officiating ever since,” she said.
The year 2025 is a big year for anniversaries. CMU is celebrating its 100th year, competitive women’s sports at CMU are celebrating 50 years under Title IX, and Porter will mark 50 years as a high school and collegiate volleyball referee. A member of the Colorado Volleyball Officials’ Hall of Fame, she believes that her long experience shields her from “a lot of grief.” Porter doesn’t take it personally when coaches and fans disagree with a call. “They’ll let you do your job until they think you’ve done something wrong and that you’re really missing the mark, then they’ll let you know,” she explained.
Porter was an eighth-grade math teacher at Grand Junction’s East Middle School for the bulk of her career. In addition to refereeing, she also coached basketball, volleyball, and, for a short time, track.
As an educator, Porter believes in the power of involvement, whether in sports, drama, music, or any other activities, citing research that “being involved in extracurricular activities was the single most common characteristic of people who were successful in life.”
Porter also believes in the power of women’s sports. “I love athletics for the fact that it teaches you life skills that you’re not going to get anywhere else,” she explained. “You learn how to deal with people, get the best out of people, and how to find the best in yourself.”
A Story 100 Years in the Making
Want to learn more about CMU's history? Purchase Colorado Mesa University - A Century of the Maverick Spirit, written by Amber J. D'Ambrosio and Kristen Lummis. The 192-page book chronicles CMU's 100-year journey of growth, resilience, and community impact, celebrating the people and moments that shaped our Maverick history.
CMU's Century Project honors one hundred years of Colorado Mesa University's rich history - celebrating the people, milestones and spirit that have shaped our enduring legacy. As we reflect on this meaningful milestone, proceeds from the commemorative Century Book and events throughout the year will benefit the Century Scholarship, ensuring that future generations of CMU students can continue to grow, learn and carry the CMU legacy forward.