Men's Track and Field
- Title:
- Assistant Coach - Sprints, Relays, Hurdles
- Email:
- cheeku@ecu.edu
- Phone:
- (252) 737-2488
Udon Cheek will enter his 16th season in 2025 as an assistant coach for the East Carolina track and field program, mentoring the sprints, hurdles and relays group. He is an ECU alum who walked on to the ECU men’s track and field program in 1987. He was coached by, the legendary, Bill Carson. Through a persistent work ethic, a belief that he could succeed as a collegiate student-athlete and consistent improvement, Cheek was awarded a scholarship. In particular, his contributions in the 400m hurdles (ECU All-time Top 10) and the 4x400m relay were the areas in which he made his mark for the team. His achievements as a "Running Pirate" are highlighted by All-East (IC4A) honors for his participation on a 4x400m relay that qualified for the 1990 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships.
After his athletic eligibility was exhausted, Coach Cheek was offered an opportunity by Charles "Choo" Justice to get his feet wet in the coaching arena with the ECU women's track and field program. From 1992-1996, he helped Coach Justice shape the ECU women's sprints, hurdles and relays program. The team became very competitive in the Colonial Athletic Association and ECAC Championships during that period. Cheek’s passion for coaching was developed during his volunteer years and he has been addicted to the development of young people ever since.
Cheek's experience as a sprint and relay coach extends over 20 years in the high school and collegiate ranks. Prior to his fulltime hire at ECU in 2008 and after his years as an ECU volunteer coach, Cheek spent seven years as a high school assistant. He assisted Carlton Floyd at DH Conley HS (Winterville, NC) for one season and he assisted Dennis Gibson at JH Rose HS (Greenville, NC) for six seasons. The opportunity to learn under Coach Justice, Coach Gibson and Coach Floyd played a major role in developing Cheek’s encouragement based leadership style. Cheek is known for teaching his athletes to embrace challenges within the sport to develop the character and drive they will need in every day life.
During his high school tenure, Cheek has had the privilege of training NCHSA State Champions as well as NCHSA All-State hurdlers and sprint relay teams. Collegiately, he has been privileged to oversee the development of numerous NCAA Championship qualifiers, USA Outdoor Championship qualifiers, American Athletic Conference champions and record holders, Conference USA champions and record holders, All-East (ECAC) sprinters and relay teams, as well as multiple ECU record holders in the hurdles, sprints and relays. Â
Coach Cheek is happily married to former ECU sprinter, Shantell Cheek (a nurse at Vidant Health). They have two extremely bright and gifted children, Alyssa Janae and Johnovan Michael. The Cheeks are faithful members of Koinonia Christian Center Church where Bishop Rosie S. O'Neal is the Senior Pastor. In his spare time Cheek enjoys writing and recording inspirational music, spending time with his family and supporting Pirate athletics. He bleeds Purple and Gold and is a Pirate through and through.
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