Outside of the national team, Dowdell played for the Dallas Belles and Chicago Breeze in the Major League Volleyball during the late 1980s.
[2] Between 1974 and 1980, Dowdell played on the United States women's national volleyball team and was promoted to captain in 1976.
[2] During this time period, Dowdell and the United States team won the 1979 U.S. Volleyball Association National Championships.
[6][7] The following year, Dowdell was part of the American team that placed fifth at the 1978 FIVB Volleyball Women's World Championship.
[11] Following the Pan American Games, Dowdell had therapy for her injured back and returned to competition in October 1979.
[12] Dowdell was part of the United States volleyball team roster that earned a spot at the 1980 Summer Olympics.
[15][16] While at Texas Lutheran, Dowdell and her team made it to the final of the 1981 Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women Division II Championship in volleyball.
[20][21] After moving from DePauw to Major League Volleyball in 1987, Dowdell played two years each with the Dallas Belles and Chicago Breeze.
[29] During her playing career, Dowdell was the 1973 Rookie of the Year for the United States Volleyball Association.
[2][36] As part of the 1980 Olympic team, Dowdell was inducted into the Colorado Springs Sports Hall of Fame in 2010.