In an attempt for a goal, third-year Sami Webster kicks the ball over a University of Dubuque athlete. Photo by Ali Parkhurst

On Wednesday, Oct. 8, the Wartburg Women’s Soccer team hosted their 14^th annual Pink Knight game, honoring Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Both women’s and men’s soccer played the University of Dubuque. Despite a 0-2 loss against the Spartans, the Knights still showed support for a cause greater than the game.  

Beginning the tradition during the 2012 season, Wartburg Women’s Soccer dedicates one game each season to showing their support for past, present and future breast cancer fighters. Head Coach Emily Ryan shares the impact that this game has on not only the team, but her personal life.  

“My mom went through breast cancer,” Ryan says. “I think almost everybody has probably experienced somebody.”  

In support of the cause, the team has partnered with Beyond Pink, a local breast cancer awareness group through the Cedar Valley Cancer Committee.  

Beyond Pink provides services to community members fighting breast cancer by providing support groups, financial assistance, advocacy efforts and special events. For the Pink Knight game, members of Beyond Pink collected freewill donations throughout the game.  

The partnership with Beyond Pink began during the 2024 season. Ryan shares that her team believes it is important to partner with local organizations in the Cedar Valley.  

“We’ve wanted to support local versus the breast cancer foundation, which is more national. We wanted to keep the support local and close to home,” Ryan says. 

On top of the opportunity to donate, fans of the game showed their support through vibrant pink t-shirts, purchased from the soccer team. Third-year Alexa Brockmueller, part of the planning committee for the Pink Knight game, shares the reasoning behind the breast cancer shirts.  

“The t-shirts help bring awareness to the cause during the game, but also any time it’s worn after the game,” Brockmueller says. “For the last two years, we have donated the proceeds from the t-shirts to Beyond Pink Team in Waterloo because we were looking to make a more direct impact towards breast cancer awareness.”  

Within the team, athletes are selected to be in focus groups. Brockmeuller found herself in the focus group assigned to organize the breast cancer awareness game. Her group organized shirt sales, created posters and communicated with the Beyond Pink organization. Brockmeuller shares that her personal connection to the cause makes this project important to her.  

“One of my high school choir directors battled breast cancer on and off for nearly a decade,” Brockmeuller says. “She passed away in 2024, and it devastated our community. She helped nurture my passion for singing and serving others and always reminded us to ‘choose joy’.”  

As athletes at Wartburg, Brockmeuller and Ryan agree that they have a responsibility to advocate and highlight organizations like Beyond Pink.  

“The reasons are endless; it’s something bigger than our sport. As teams, and as student athletes, there’s a platform we can use to support organizations bigger than ourselves,” Ryan says.  

There is still time to see the Wartburg Women’s Soccer team in action this season. Their next home game is on Oct. 18 against Loras College. This game will honor the alumni of the team.  

To donate to Beyond Pink or learn more about their organization, click here.