Erik Jolivette is in his second season as a volunteer assistant cross country and track and field coach at the University of Wisconsin.
During his time in Madison, Jolivette has worked with both the men's and women's distance runners, helping Shaelyn Sorensen earn Big Ten Women's Cross Country Freshman of the Year honors during the fall of 2015. Jolivette also coached Morgan McDonald, who earned first-team All-Big Ten, Big Ten Athlete of the Year and first-team All-America honors during the 2017 cross country season.
During the track and field season, McDonald broke the school record in the mile and went on to win the 3000 meters and finish second in the 5000 at the 2016 Big Ten Indoor Championships. One year later, McDonald won both the 3000 and 5000 meters at the 2017 Big Ten Indoor Championships, earning the title of Big Ten Men's Track Athlete of the Championships. Thanks to Jolivette's coaching, McDonald also finished fifth at the 2016 NCAA Outdoor Championships in the 5000 meters, becoming only the third Badger to break the 13:30 barrier during the collegiate season. Jolivette also worked with Zack Snider and Olin Hacker, who both qualifed for the IIAF Wolrd Junior Championships in the 5000 meters, and honorable-mention All-American Austin Mudd.Â
Prior to coming to Wisconsin, Jolivette was a volunteer assistant coach at the University of Iowa in the summer of 2015, and the year before at Harvard University.
A native of Garner, Iowa, Jolivette was a high school history teacher and a cross country and track and field coach in his hometown at Garner-Hayfield-Ventura Schools from 2013 to 2015. After serving as assistant coach in 2013, he became head coach in 2014. As the head cross country coach he guided the men’s team to a conference title and highest team finish in school history (fourth) at the Iowa High School State Cross Country Championships. His team also included the highest individual athlete place at the meet in school history with a second place individual finish. He was also recognized as the Class 2A At-Large State Coach of the Year and as the North Iowa Conference Boys’ Coach of the Year. As an assistant track and field coach, his team won back-to-back conference titles in 2014 and 2015.Â
Jolivette also competed collegiately at Wartburg College from 2009-2013 where he was a member of multiple Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference championship teams and was awarded the 2012 Coach’s Award for cross country.
