University of Northern Iowa Athletics
Panther soccer to honor Anne Marie Witko with jersey retirement on Sunday
10/7/2026 10:30:00 AM | Women's Soccer
UNI to celebrate program’s first-ever goalkeeper prior to homecoming weekend match against Valparaiso.
CEDAR FALLS, Iowa --- Anne Marie Witko, the first goalkeeper in the history of the UNI women's soccer program and a record establishing performer, will be recognized with UNI Athletics' newest highest honor with a jersey retirement ceremony on Sunday prior to the Panthers' home match against Valparaiso.
Kickoff for Sunday's match is scheduled for 1 p.m. CT at the UNI Soccer Field with live coverage available on ESPN+.
"Honoring Anne Marie with a jersey retirement is a tribute to the standard of excellence she established as the cornerstone of our women's soccer program," said UNI head soccer coach Alex Place Thomas. "She was a trailblazer who defined what it meant to be a Panther, and we are incredibly proud to celebrate her individual achievements and the lasting legacy she built for this program!"
Launched earlier this year, UNI's jersey retirement program has already retired jerseys for Panther legends Bill Smith (wrestling), AJ Green (men's basketball), Jacqui Kalin (women's basketball), Patty Stockman (softball), Kurt Warner (football) and Molly Lembezeder (women's swimming & diving).
ÂUNI is also scheduled to retire jersey for eight other individuals on Saturday, Oct. 10 at its All-Sports Reunion, including Joey Woody (men's cross country/track & field) and Paige (Knodle) Bohannon (women's cross country/track & field), as well as honoree from discontinued sport programs in Duane Josephson (baseball), Penny Wilson (women's gymnastics), Jesus Vazquez (men's gymnastics), Diane Braun (women's field hockey), Jacob Stall (men's swimming & diving) and Randy Krejci (men's tennis)
A member of Northern Iowa's first four seasons of play from 2000 to 2003, Witko was a three-time All-Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) performer, becoming the program's first athlete to earn First Team All-MVC honors, as well as MVC All-Freshman Team recognition in the inaugural season in 2000.
Contributing to 22 team victories, Witko set school records with 6,430 career minutes in net, as well as 14 career shutouts, including five during her senior season. She remains UNI's all-time leader in saves (602) and single-season minutes in goal (1,774), and is one of seven Panther goalkeepers all-time to average less than two goals allowed in a career.
UNI women's soccer action can be followed all season long on social media on Facebook (UNI Panther Soccer), X (@UNI_Soccer) and on Instagram (@unipanthersoccer). Schedule and roster information, along with the latest Panther news and information can be found online at UNIpanthers.com.
