Athlete of the Week: Chudi Ikpeazu

After this article was published, details from the Boston Globe revealed that Chudi Ikpeazu ’16 now faces a misdemeanor charge of sexual assault. The editors who assigned the article and the writers and the students who commented would not have been aware of potential charges at the time. Please know that the content of this article could be discomforting for anyone with ties to Ikpeazu’s alleged sexual assault case.

It’s 9 p.m. on a warm Sunday night, and Dunbar Hall smells of monkey bread. Chudi Ikpeazu pops a fresh batch into the oven, sets the timer for 30 minutes and then rejoins his sister and lower Chi-Chi in the common room.

Ikpeazu has been making monkey bread since the summer after his lower year. “My mom brought home this recipe one day, and we started making it,” he said. “She joked that I should sell it, and then I came here and found my ingredients and started selling.”

Ikpeazu’s discus throwing career resulted from something similar to that of his monkey bread business: a joke. “I started running track back in sixth grade, and back then I actually ran. They needed someone to do discus, and I just did it as a joke.” He admitted that at first, he struggled to do well. “I didn’t make it to states until I was in eighth grade, and I did terribly,” he said.

“He is a very inspiring captain, and I find that his voice has motivated me many times to power through the last 100 meters of a race. He is the carefree, comical captain who leads by working hard and just getting the job done time after time.”

After coming to Exeter in the fall of 2012, Ikpeazu began to make strides in the sport. During an event at that year’s E/a weekend, he set the current prep record for discus with an impressive 167 feet. He considered this moment the spark for his love for throwing. “Ever since then, I’ve considered myself a thrower,” he said. “I love the feeling when a discus or shot comes off my fingers perfectly.” After being cut from JV basketball, Ikpeazu decided to try shotput instead. He excelled, making it to nationals and eventually placing 11th place. Ikpeazu will be attending the University of Pennsylvania as a thrower in the fall.

Although Ikpeazu’s main focus is discus, he is a versatile athlete. “He is one of the only people on the team that could do any event,” upper Tayo Zenger said. “He is primarily a thrower, but last season I ran the 4 x 160 with him, and at meets before he has high jumped and long jumped.”

Chi-Chi is inspired by her brother’s incredible athleticism. “Being confident in what I’m doing is one thing that I’ve really learned from him,” she explained. “People would underestimate him during shotput and discus, but he’d end up throwing two times their distance anyway.”

Zenger also greatly admires Ikpeazu’s athletic abilities. “As an athlete, Chudi is unstoppable. He puts in a lot of work during practice and outside of practice, and never settles,” he said. Upper Phil Louis agreed with Zenger. “Chudi is phenomenal. He is, as some might say, a specimen of sorts and a beast in throwing,” he said.

Ikpeazu’s commitment to the sport does not go unnoticed by his teammates. Co-captain and senior Matt Asante said, “He is always working hard to better himself as an athlete, doing anything from waking up early on weekdays to working out before classes or spending extra time at practice.”

As one of the captains, Ikpeazu facilitates team spirit and motivates his teammates. “Being a captain means we hype the team up during meets and during practice,” Ikpeazu explained. He has lead the team to countless victories, alongside Asante and senior Vince Vaughn. Louis explained that Ikpeazu is a natural at his position as a co-captain. “Chudi is a natural-born leader. He is one of the funniest people I know.” Zenger agreed and said that Ikpeazu does his job with great success. “I’ve learned from him that you can use humor to hype up a team and to make others feel better,” Zenger said. “He is a very inspiring captain, and I find that his voice has motivated me many times to power through the last 100 meters of a race.” Vaughn vouched for Ikpeazu’s efficiency as a leader of the team. “He is the carefree, comical captain who leads by working hard and just getting the job done time after time,” Vaughn said.

Standing at 6’8”, Ikpeazu is a formidable presence. However, after engaging in a lively conversation with him, or watching him at one of the track meets, it isn’t hard to tell what kind of a person he is. “Chudi is an awesome friend. He is always laughing, and bringing up other people’s day,” Vaughn said. Asante agreed with Vaughn: “He’s a dedicated friend and someone who can be counted on to be there for you,” he said.