East Carolina University Women's Track & Field

Introductory Press Conference Virgil Givens was named the new East Carolina Director of Track & Field/Cross Country on August 7, 2024. His hiring made Givens...

Chastity Pickett serves as the Assistant Sprints and Hurdles Coach and Recruiting Coordinator for East Carolina track and field, bringing elite-level experie...

Damar Forbes enters his first season at East Carolina University after three impactful seasons on the coaching staff at Brown University, where he primarily worked with the program’s sprinters and jumpers. A two-time Olympian with six World Championships appearances and an NCAA Championship, Forbes brings elite international experience and a proven record of athlete development at the collegiate and national levels. During his tenure at Brown, Forbes helped guide multiple NCAA qualifiers, Ivy League champions, school-record holders, and All-Academic honorees, contributing to consistent success across the sprint and jump groups. Under Forbes’ assisted guidance, Zach Love developed into one of the most accomplished and versatile athletes in Brown history. During the 2024 outdoor season, Love earned First Team All-Ivy honors, was named Academic All-Ivy, and qualified for the NCAA East Regional in the long jump after recording the second-best mark in school history (7.74m). Indoors, Love recorded the second-best long jump mark in school history (7.65m) and competed on the second-fastest 4×400-meter relay (3:12.28) in school history. During the 2023 outdoor season, he earned Second Team All-Ivy honors, qualified for the NCAA First Round, advanced to the NCAA Outdoor National Championships, and earned Honorable Mention All-America recognition. That same season, Love ran the second-fastest 100-meter dash in program history (10.58). He was also named a CSC Academic All-District honor

Emma Shappard begins her first year as Director of Operations for East Carolina University Track & Field in 2026. Sheppard brings a diverse background in col...

Johnnie Jackson Jr. has established himself as both an elite competitor and rising coach in the throwing events, bringing high-level experience to East Carolina after success on the national and collegiate stages. Following his collegiate career, Jackson continued to compete in the hammer throw at the highest level, qualifying for the finals of the 2021 U.S. Olympic Trials where he placed 10th overall, and later earning a spot in the 2024 U.S. Olympic Trials. He has been a consistent competitor at the USA Track & Field Outdoor Championships and improved his personal best from 71.72 meters to 74.03 meters during his post-collegiate career. His success began shortly after college when he earned a silver medal at the 2017 USA Track & Field Outdoor Championships in Sacramento. Prior to joining ECU, Jackson served as a volunteer assistant at University of Alabama athletics under throws coach Derek Yush from 2019 to 2025. During his tenure, he played a key role in developing one of the nation’s top throws groups, assisting in the progression of NCAA National Champion Bobby Colantonio in the weight throw, while also helping produce multiple All-Americans and SEC Champions, including Colantonio, Trenese Hamilton, and Isaac Odugbesan. As a student-athlete at LSU Track & Field, Jackson was one of the most accomplished throwers in program history. He captured the NCAA Indoor Championship in the weight throw in 2017, becoming just the second Tiger to win the event alongside Walter Hennin

Luke Cunningham enters his first season as the distance coach for East Carolina University Track & Field in 2026. A native of Australia, Cunningham brings bo...