Jillian Medvecky, Women’s Soccer junior goalkeeper, launches the ball during the Waves’ match against the University of California, Berkeley on Aug. 20 at Tari Frahm Rokus Field. Medvecky recorded two saves in her 90 minutes of play time, according to Pepperdine Athletics. Photo by Guinevere Hesse
Jillian Medvecky, Pepperdine Women’s Soccer junior goalkeeper, has spent her first two seasons in Malibu establishing herself as one of the Waves’ most reliable defenders. After an injury took her away from the field last spring, Medvecky found her way back on the pitch with a greater appreciation for the game.
“It made me realize how much I love the game and how much I love just being with the team,” Medvecky said.
Before becoming one of the program’s top defensive assets, Medvecky said she spent much of her early soccer years feeling like an underdog. She started her journey around third grade, but it was not until high school that she began to find her stride.
“I grew up as always the underdog, always like a little bit behind,” Medvecky said. “Then in high school I kind of sprouted and became one of the hardest workers on the team, and that allowed me to get the opportunity to come here to Pepp.”
But the path to Pepperdine did not go exactly as Medvecky had planned. She had originally committed to another school before circumstances changed, and she found Pepperdine around the same time.
Growing up in Ohio, this new opportunity in Malibu meant leaving home, starting over across the country and having to prove herself once again.
“She comes from Ohio and for her to leave Ohio and come out here, I think people underestimate how hard that is,” said Tim Ward, Women’s Soccer head coach.
While soccer gave Medvecky a sense of familiarity in a new state, living away from home posed a different challenge. Her teammates became her pillar of strength, helping her grow more comfortable living alone.
“There’s definitely a maturing factor in just coming to college in general, and obviously living on my own has been a little bit of a challenge, but I’ve kind of grown into it,” Medvecky said. “My teammates have been super helpful with making that transition into adulthood, and playing soccer and being part of that has also made the transition super easy.”
A New Beginning in Malibu
When Medvecky arrived at Pepperdine, the team had already featured a star goalkeeper, Taylor Rath, now a professional goalkeeper for the Chicago Stars Football Club in the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL).
Rather than allowing competition to discourage her, Medvecky worked to prove herself and earn the trust of the coaching staff.
“Jill battled in a really respectful, positive way,” Ward said. “As the season went on her freshman year, she sort of got her nod as the number one.”
In Medvecky’s freshman season, she earned the starting role and quickly became a major contributor to the Waves’ success. She made 18 starts in her 19 appearances, logged 48 saves and four shutouts with a 1.1 goals-against average, according to Pepperdine Athletics.
Medvecky’s elite performance earned her West Coast Conference (WCC) Defensive Player of the Week honors twice, a spot on the All-WCC Freshman Team and a No. 14 spot on Top Drawer Soccer‘s midseason top 100 freshman list, according to Pepperdine Athletics.
For Medvecky, the success was never something she wanted to claim for herself.
“The success is definitely not about me, it’s about the team,” Medvecky said. “As a team, we work to build each other up and get each other better every day. My teammates are definitely the main part in my personal success because I definitely couldn’t do it without them.”
Medvecky followed up with an even larger role her sophomore season, starting in all 20 matches, recording 80 saves with a career-high nine saves in a single match and recording six solo shutouts, according to Pepperdine Athletics.
“We went on to win the WCC championships, and obviously back to back — we don’t do that without Jill Medvecky,” Ward said.
Playing Through the Pain
Behind the career-high numbers Medvecky was putting up, she was battling an injury that eventually pulled her away from soccer.
“It [goalkeeping] hasn’t been easy in terms of injuries and health,” Ward said. “It’s a hard enough position when you’re healthy. But then to have to do it knowing that you’re doing it in pain — it’s actually remarkable that she was able to do what she did last year.”
Ward said Medvecky played through a fracture in her back during the 2025 season before the coaching staff shut her down in the spring to allow her time to heal.
For a player who had spent the previous two seasons establishing herself in goal, suddenly being unable to play posed a new challenge and perspective.
“So, part of the mentality is that you have to sort of rediscover yourself,” Ward said. “When soccer was taken away from her, it can mess with anybody. You’re wondering, ‘Am I ever going to get back to the level that I was before?'”
Being away from the game did not force Medvecky to lose sight of her identity as a goalkeeper, but instead reminded her why she wanted to be one.
“A huge part of our identity, and most of these women, to be fair, when they come in, is about as a soccer player,” Ward said.
Although watching her teammates was not where she wanted to be, the time off gave Medvecky an outlook she did not know she needed.
“Obviously, standing on the sidelines is not ideal,” Medvecky said. “But getting to watch, it’s like you see all the connections and all the fun moments on the field and it makes you realize how much you love being in the moments yourself.”
Junior Jillian Medvecky (middle) lines up with her teammates during the pregame lineup introductions before the Waves’ match against the University of Pacific on Oct. 4, 2025 at Tari Frahm Rokus Field. Medvecky started in every game for the Waves during her sophomore season, according to Pepperdine Athletics. Photo by Katherine Lytle
Back in Goal
For a position like goalkeeper, the attitude can make the difference between dwelling on a mistake and being ready for the next play.
“I’ve always been told to just take it one moment at a time and just worry about making the next save,” Medvecky said. “Whether or not you made the last save or not, focus on the next one,” Medvecky said.
Ward says Medvecky’s mentality and work ethic has been evident throughout her time at Pepperdine, especially to her team. Her impact is not only reflected on the stat sheet, but in the way her teammates see her.
“Her mentality does show up everyday for the team, and for her goalkeepers’ union, and for the team it’s exceptional,” Ward said.
Ariana Salvador, junior midfielder and forward, said Medvecky brings a competitive edge to the field while still being someone who cares deeply about the people surrounding her.
“She truly cares for her teammates and makes sure everyone is okay, that the energy is high and she’s a fun, goofy presence to be around,” Salvador said.
This combination of competitiveness and compassion is part of what makes Medvecky someone her teammates trust when she steps into goal.
“She brings so much confidence and she has an inner dog in her,” Salvador said. “We just know that when she steps on the field, it’s game time. She’s going to bring 100% effort and commitment. We just trust her, we know what we’re going to get out of her.”
To Salvador, Medvecky’s consistency doesn’t stop on the soccer field. The way she carries herself on a daily basis has taught Salvador the importance of discipline and commitment.
“Just in her daily life, whether it’s reading a devotional in the morning or meal prepping, she’s always consistent,” Salvador said. “That’s inspiring for me and it’s helped me incorporate it into my daily life.”
Even the smallest habits have become examples of the kind of teammate Medvecky is. Salvador said she will make sweet treats for her teammates out of the kindness of her heart, a small gesture to remind her team how much she cares for them.
“She’ll make cinnamon rolls and Rice Krispies treats for our teammates without even having to say anything,” Salvador said. “That’s just so wholesome and she really is a true character. She touches people in ways that they might not know they needed.”
On the field, Salvador said Medvecky is always checking in on her teammates, being a reliable friend in tough situations and letting her sense of humor shine through to lift those around her up.
“She is such a positive and bright light without knowing it,” Salvador said.
Despite Medvecky’s setback, her decorated resume speaks for itself. She is back competing at highest level, with an even greater appreciation for every game, every save and every moment on the pitch.
Medvecky has continued to deliver, putting up impressive numbers and showing why she remains one of the program’s top defensive anchors. For her, her accolades mean more when they fuel the overall success of the team.
“She is an extraordinary young woman of character,” Ward said. “She sometimes is not the loudest player, but she’s really thoughtful, really intelligent, really articulate. She’s loved and respected by the entire team.”
This story was copy edited by Lila Rendel.
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Contact Madison Chavez via email: madison.chavez@pepperdine.edu