The 2011-12 season is Jessica Darud's second as an assistant coach at Lake Forest College.

The Forester women and men posted a 4-1 dual meet record in Darud's first year on staff and both teams placed second at the Midwest Conference Championships.

Darud competed collegiately at NCAA Division I University of Illinois at Chicago. She was named the team's Newcomer of the Year as a freshman and earned Second Team All-Horizon League honors as a sophomore following a second-place finish in the 200-backstroke. She also placed third in the 200-IM and fifth in the 100-backstoke at the Horizon League Championships. She was selected as her team's Swimmer of the Year in 2005 and graduated in 2007 with a degree in exercise and fitness.

After college, Darud moved to Iowa City, Iowa, where she conducted exercise research at the University of Iowa. She also worked as an assistant swim coach and dry land specialist for the Iowa Flyers swimming club and at Core Fitness Gym as a personal trainer.

Darud grew up in Minnesota and has been swimming since the age of 14. She lettered four seasons as a backstroke and IM specialist for the Chaska High School swimming team and placed fifth in the 100 backstroke at the state finals in Minnesota. She swam for Team Foxjet swim club in Eden Prairie and was part of a Foxjet relay that ranked 16th in the country.

Darud is a certified personal trainer through the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM-CPT) and currently works for Life Time Athletic Health Club.

She lives in Lake Forest with her fiance, Brandon Yezek, who is also the College's Coordinator of Athletic Facilities & Equipment and Intramurals Coordinator.