UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Playing a college sport in front of family is something that many Penn State student-athletes are lucky enough to have happen often. For one Penn State women's soccer student-athlete that is not the case, Alina Ortega Jurado made the most of the rare opportunity at Jeffrey Field this past weekend.
Ortega Jurado, a senior defender, without a doubt had a very special day Sunday, and not just because it was Senior Day. On top of her team clinching the 2018 Big Ten regular season title outright with a 2-0 victory over Minnesota, her parents traveled nearly 4,000 miles across the globe for just the second time to Happy Valley.
"It's a big thing," Ortega Jurado, a native of Waldgirmes, Germany, said about her parents getting the opportunity to be in attendance to see their daughter play on her big day. "The last time they were here was three years ago. It doesn't really feel that way because time flies, but it's just something special."
Her parents, Maria Mercedes Jurado Cabrera and Valentin Ortega Sañudo, talked about what it meant for them to be able to support their daughter on arguably one of the biggest days of her life.
"It was very great for us," her mother Maria Mercedes Jurado Cabrera said. "It's a special day for us and Alina because we can't really share our time here with her."
"We're really proud," her father Valentin Ortega Sañudo added.
The pair has great reason to be proud. Ortega Jurado has turned into one of the Nittany Lions most versatile and consistent players as she's played in every game for Penn State over the past three seasons, helping to solidify the team's backline.
Head coach Erica Dambach raved about Ortega Jurado and the immense improvements she has made over the course of her career in Happy Valley.
"I would have to say that I believe Alina has developed more in this program in these four years than any other player that we've had in our program," Dambach said. "Her growth as a teammate, as a person, and as a player has been just spectacular to be a part of. Just to play a small part in her growth in her four years here, I couldn't be more proud of her."
Ortega Jurado and her parents shared similar thoughts as Coach Dambach when it comes to the maturation and progression of Alina as a student-athlete and person over her time at Penn State.
"They (her parents) would agree that I've grown a lot since I've been here," Ortega Jurado said. "I've gotten a lot more confident and that I'm not only developed as a player but also as a person."
"Alina is a very intelligent player, a great forward looking player and outstanding in giving passes," her mother added. "She also developed so much in her personality. Coach Dambach takes a real great part of this development. She is a great coach."
Ortega Jurado came over to the United States to play collegiate soccer after living in Germany her entire life. Following her playing career with her club team FFC Frankfurt she felt ready to make the jump to soccer in America.
"It's always hard when you come from a different country because you don't really know what to expect," she admitted.
However, despite facing an uphill battle with moving across the world to a foreign country, she has no regrets whatsoever in her decision to come to America or picking Penn State as the place she would eventually call home.
"I wish I had another four years, then another four, and another four. I could stay forever. I love this team and they just have great people here and I love it," the two-time Academic All-Big Ten recipient said.
Luckily for Ortega Jurado, her journey doesn't stop here. With the Big Ten Tournament and NCAA Tournament coming up soon, she will have many more chances to impress her parents – no matter where they're watching and cheering from.