Robert Dikun is in his 3rd season as a member of the Monmouth University coaching staff. He serves as the Hawks’ men’s and women’s pole vault coach during the indoor and outdoor track seasons.
In his inaugural 2016-2017 season, Dikun helped guide Casey Sturts to a 1st Place finish in the MAAC Indoor Championships and a 2nd Place finish in the ECAC Indoor Championships, Penn Relays College Championship and the MAAC Outdoor Championships. She also established the Monmouth University Outdoor School Record of 3.87m (12’8.25”). Dikun also helped guide Dean McDonald to a 2nd Place finish in the MAAC Indoor and Outdoor Championships and qualification to the IC4A Indoor Championships and Penn Relays College Championship. He also established the new Monmouth University Indoor School Record of 4.80m (15’9”).
Prior to beginning his tenure at Monmouth University, Dikun created and piloted the girls’ fall gymnastics program and coached the boys and girls pole vaulters during the indoor and outdoor track seasons at Point Pleasant Borough High School in New Jersey. There, he saw his many male and female athletes ascend to Group II and Meet of Champion qualification, participation and honors. In 2012, he guided Skylar Johnson to runner-up champion status at the outdoor state Meet of Champions. Johnson remains the school record holder today. Dikun’s two daughters, Elissa and Natalie, are also both former and present school record holders in both gymnastics and the pole vault.
Dikun is a graduate of the USATF/USOC Emerging Elite Track & Field Jumps Coaches Training Program which was conducted at the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) Training Center in Chula Vista, CA. He is certified by the USATF as a Level 1 and Level 2 Jumps Coach. He has completed the USATF/IAAF Academy and currently awaits the awarding of his certification as a USATF Level 3 Jumps Coach and by the IAAF as a Level 5 Jumps Coach. The USATF Level 3 and the IAAF Level 5 certifications are the highest granted by their respective national and international track and field organizations. Dikun is also certified by the USTFCCCA as a Strength and Conditioning Coach and is a graduate of the USA Gymnastics (USAG) High Performance Coaching program which was conducted at the USA Gymnastics National Team Training Center in Huntsville, TX. He is also certified by the NFHS as a Level 1 and Level 2 Coach.
Dikun is a Monmouth University product having graduated from the then-Monmouth College in 1979 with a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) Degree in Business Administration. He is also a 1982 graduate from Pepperdine University where he earned his Juris Doctor (J.D.) Degree and a 2004 graduate of Fairleigh Dickinson University where he earned his Master of Administrative Science (M.A.S.) Degree.
Dikun is a retired law enforcement administrator and a long-time New Jersey Attorney where he continues to serve as a law enforcement and personnel consultant.
He lives in Point Pleasant, New Jersey, with his wife, Ellen, and two daughters, Elissa and Natalie, who are both current college students pursuing graduate degrees in the Physician Assistant (PA) program at Wagner College.
