Before committing to Creighton, Alyssa Judkins never imagined how much the 513-area code would come to mean along her college soccer journey. Now, woven into a pre-game handshake, the number has become a quiet but steady reminder of the friendships and support that have lifted the senior through every high and low. For Judkins, it’s a small gesture of calm that speaks to the strength of the bonds she shares with her teammates—a constant source of encouragement through it all.
Yet, there was a time when those friendships might never have come to be. Though she initially considered Creighton, Judkins chose a different path in her early recruiting days. It wasn’t until her senior year of high school, when unexpected changes altered her course, that the door to Creighton opened again.
“Initially, … I ended up picking a different university,” the Omaha native said. “And then senior year, that other option didn’t pan out. So, I went back and I looked at, you know, ‘What else? What other universities did I love during my recruiting process?’ And Creighton was at the top of my list.”
Coming in late to the program, Judkins was randomly assigned to a dorm room with her fellow teammate, Greta Betz. Their bond deepened as they discovered a unique connection: Betz is from Cincinnati, the same city that Judkins’ dad’s family hails from. This shared background not only fostered their friendship but also inspired a special pre-game ritual. Over the years, their handshake grew from a simple gesture into a layered custom, marked by the numbers five, one and three.
“She’s from Cincinnati, and they have this handshake where they do five one three in the handshake. We kind of started doing that and then we just added and added on to it,” Judkins said with a smile. “And we’ve done that every game for a few years now, and it’s just a little special, almost a safety net. It kind of calms you down right before a game. Like, everything could be going crazy, warm-up could have been horrible, it could be the highest-pressure situation, but you know you have that before the game to settle the nerves.”
The support network Judkins built would soon become essential as her college journey unfolded, filled with challenges that tested her dedication to the sport and her sense of belonging. Starting her freshman season strong, she quickly adapted to a new position as a forward, contributing to 11 matches off the bench and scoring her first collegiate goal. But just as she began to find her footing, an MCL injury halted her momentum, marking the beginning of a series of challenges that would follow her through her collegiate career.
The season-ending injury was just the beginning. The following years brought Judkins a new set of challenges, as she worked to find her place on the field. Despite a solid sophomore season—earning five starts and scoring her second collegiate goal— she struggled to adapt to the forward position, a role that felt increasingly foreign. Though her team’s success took them to the Big East Tournament semifinals, Judkins wrestled with feeling out of place, never fully settling into her offensive role.
By her junior season, the challenges only grew. Creighton’s momentum faltered as they dropped their first five conference games, ultimately finishing 4-9-5 with a difficult 2-7-1 record in Big East play. During this stretch, Judkins found herself questioning her place and feeling disconnected from the game that once felt so instinctive.
“I was just at a crossroads, where I was not playing the position I wanted to play, was not getting the kind of feedback or information I wanted,” Judkins said. “It was kind of a moment of being like, ‘What am I doing here? What do I want out of this? What is my purpose on this team?’”
At a time when leaving might have seemed like the easier choice, the senior instead chose to stay, driven by a deep connection to her teammates. For her, the people around her provided a sense of belonging that helped her push through the doubts.
“It’s the people,” Judkins shared when asked why she stayed. “All these teammates, they are the reason I’m still here. I thought about transferring a couple years ago, … but the people on the team, they bring you back to focus. They bring you back to center and remind you of your importance.”
Following the end of the 2023 season, Athletic Director Marcus Blossom announced the departure of Head Coach Ross Paule, who had been with the program for nine seasons. After a nationwide search for the next leader, Creighton brought in Jimmy Walker, a coach with a reputation for building competitive, tournament-ready teams.
Walker’s arrival signaled a new chapter filled with promise and renewed purpose, fueling Judkins and her teammates to make the most of the coming season.
“This past spring season, our last offseason. It was our first season with the new staff and honestly just felt like such a fresh start,” Judkins said. “Everyone was so driven to make this the best season, and we knew that it started in the spring. So, every practice was as intense as I’ve ever seen. It was so much fun to be a part of.”
Within the first few matches of the 2024 season, the program showed noticeable progress, navigating one of the toughest non-conference schedules in the nation to secure a 3-2-1 record. This early success hinted at the team’s potential and signaled growth under new leadership.
But as the Bluejays transitioned into conference play, the team faced a scoring drought, which lead to an 0-2 start in the Big East.
“After the Villanova game at home. We had dropped the first two games of conference [play], and it was kind of like a moment, like a gut check for the team to be like, ‘Okay. What are we doing? Do we really want this? If we’re going to do this and we’re going to make a run here and we’re going to win some games, it has to be now,’” the senior recalled. “We had a players-only meeting; figured some things out, talked things out. And I think that was really the turning point for us.”
Since that pivotal match, Creighton has surged to an impressive 5-1-1 record in Big East play, rising to third place in the conference. This success has granted them the honor of hosting the first round of the conference tournament, marking a significant milestone as it’s the first time Creighton has achieved this since joining the Big East in 2013.
“This year, with how everything has been going, like it really does prove that everything has a reason, and you go through things for a reason to get to where you are,” she said. “The success we’ve had this year is no mistake. It’s not out of nowhere. This team has put in so much work over the offseason, over the season. The staff has made such a huge difference, so just seeing the progress in the last nine months has been incredible to see.”
As she nears the end of her collegiate career, Judkins feels a deep appreciation for the relationships she has built along the way. Each connection, from Betz to the rest of her 28 built-in best friends, has played a vital role in her journey, shaping her both on and off the field.
“It’s bittersweet that I can’t have more time with this team, and with these coaches, but at the same time, there’s not one I’d rather end my time here at Creighton than with these people,” the senior said. “I’m just really happy to be a part of it all.”
Judkins’ journey at Creighton has been one of resilience, growth and faith that each moment played its part in guiding her forward. Through every challenge and change— from shifting positions on the field to navigating the highs and lows of collegiate athletics— she’s found strength in her team and in the belief that each step has led her to where she’s meant to be. Now, as she reflects on her time as a Bluejay, Judkins sees the trials not as setbacks, but as integral parts of her story. The friendships, hard-fought victories and lessons learned have all come together to shape a meaningful close to her college career, one she’ll carry long after the final whistle.
“It’s been very difficult putting trust in God’s hands and knowing that He has a plan for everything and trusting that things are going to work out in the end. I kind of just rely on that and realize that everything happens for a reason,” Judkins shared. “So even those really difficult moments of a season-ending injury or being unstable with the position I’m playing—like I never played it before, that was kind of a new thing in college, and now, I am back playing defense again. So, it kind of feels like everything did happen for a reason.”