Jess Jecko staked her claim to field hockey fame as Syracuse University's starting goalkeeper for three years, including a senior season that ended with the former Sauquoit Valley Central star celebrating an NCAA Division I championship.

It was 2015, and Jecko had backstopped No. 1 Syracuse to a 17-0 start before a loss to North Carolina in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) final. Jecko and the Orange then went 4-0 in the NCAA tournament, beating four nationally-ranked teams, avenging that loss to North Carolina with a win over the top-ranked Tar Heels in the national title game, and finishing a school record-setting season with a 21-1 record.

It was not only the program's first national title, but also the first NCAA championship for any women's team at Syracuse. And Jecko, who made five saves in the title game win over UNC, was named to the NCAA All-Tournament Team. Jecko, an All-ACC second-team selection that season, led the conference and ranked fourth in the nation with a 1.00 goals-against average. She ranked second nationally and led the ACC in win percentage (.955). The senior captain started all 22 games for Syracuse, and her 21-1 record included four shutouts.

Jecko, an All-Section III and All-Central New York selection in high school, made the 2012 USA Field Hockey Under-19 National Tournament and played 68 games at Syracuse University. She finished her SU career with a 53-11 record, including 12 shutouts, and a 1.31 goals-against average.

As Syracuse's sophomore starter in goal, Jecko posted a 16-4 record. She had a 16-6 record as a junior, when the Orange won the Big East Conference title and reached the NCAA Tournament final.

Jecko graduated from Syracuse in 2016, and as a student, represented her team for three years on the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. She was named to the USA Women's National Field Hockey Team. With Team USA, Jecko was twice named the top player of the match in international tournament wins over Australia and Korea.

She began her coaching career in 2013 as an assistant coach with the USA Field Hockey Futures, and she later was a volunteer assistant at Syracuse and Washington College. Jecko also was a volunteer assistant at Duke University in 2020-21, and she then spent one season on the Dartmouth College coaching staff before returning to Duke as an assistant coach in May 2022. Jecko has trained, coached, and competed all over the world, including a stint with the Irish National Team and two seasons in the Field Hockey Pro League.