Iona College director of cross country and track & field Joe Pienta announced that Erik Jolivette as a new member of the Maroon & Gold coaching staff in August of 2018. He is now in his third full season with the Iona program. In his first season, the Gaels won the 2018-19 men's and women's cross country championships. The Maroon & Gold have continued their championship streak since his arrival. Iona's men's program has continued to compete in the NCAA Cross Country Championship. Egle Morenaite has earned two All-American honors and John Millar was named an All-American in 2019.
Jolivette joined Gael Nation having recently served as an assistant coach at the University of St. Thomas for the women’s cross country and track programs.
While with the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, MN, Jolivette helped lead the program to 2018 indoor and outdoor track & field conference championships. The women’s cross country team placed 22nd at the 2017 DIII NCAA national championships. Ali Glassbrenner earned All-American honors in the indoor mile and outdoor 1,500-meter.
Jolivette served as a volunteer assistant coach with the University of Wisconsin from 2015 till 2017. Working with both the men’s and women’s distance athletes, his efforts helped the men’s team to a first place finish at the 2016 Big Ten Cross Country Championships and second at the Big Ten Indoor Track & Field Championships. That same season, the men’s team finished eighth and the women’s program took 14th at the 2016 NCAA Cross Country Championships. His time with the Badgers was under the guidance of former Iona head coach and renowned program leader, Mick Byrne.
From 2013 till 2015, Jolivette was the head cross country and assistant track & field coach at Garner-Hayfield-Ventura High School in Garner, IA. The school won back-to-back conference championship in track & field and placed a program best fourth at the 2014 Iowa High School State Cross Country Championships. Additionally, he was recognized as a Class 2A At-Large Coach of the Year and selected as the 2014 North Iowa Conference Coach of the Year.
In the summer of 2014 and 2015, respectively, Jolivette served as a volunteer assistant at Harvard and the University of Iowa.
Jolivette was a four-year cross country and track & field student-athlete at Wartburg College in Waverly, IA. He graduated with a BA in secondary education and history.
He has a U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association certification as a strength and conditioning specialist.
