Duke hires Cheek as assistant coach

Duke has hired former player Joy Cheek as an assistant women's basketball coach.

Cheek played forward for the Blue Devils from 2007-10, with the last three years coming under head coach Joanne P. McCallie. She replaces Trisha Stafford-Odom, who left this week to become an assistant at rival North Carolina.

Cheek will work with post players alongside fellow assistant Al Brown. She will also serve as one of two recruiting coordinators and assist with summer camps.

Cheek played professionally in the WNBA and in Poland. She had planned to play in Spain this year before accepting the Duke job, which she said was ''an opportunity I couldn't pass up.''