CROOKSTON, Minn. – The University of Minnesota Crookston athletic department announced the hiring of Bret Cariveau as interim assistant volleyball coach. Cariveau joins the Golden Eagles after spending the past three years running PU5H VBC, a volleyball club he founded in Western Kentucky.

"We are very excited to add Bret to our volleyball coaching staff," said Interim Head Coach Nick Meseck. "While interviewing Bret, it was clear that his coaching style and knowledge will be a great asset to the team and University. I am looking forward to working with him and seeing the Golden Eagle Volleyball program continue to grow on and off the court."

Cariveau successfully started PU5H VBC in 2019, with the goal of making every player better by the end of the season. He wanted to instill a competitive mindset and refuse to lose mentality in all the club's athletes. He helped five student-athletes to collegiate opportunities. In 2022, the 18s won Bronze at the USAV Nationals, finished 11^th at Nationals, and took first at the Owensboro Super Regional, and third at the Central Region Super Regional. In 2021, the 18s finished fifth at nationals, first at the Nashville Super Regionals, first at Birmingham Super Regionals, and First at the West Coast Challenge. In 2021, the 16s placed first at the Blue Bridge Battle, and second at the Nashville Super Regionals.

Prior to starting PU5H VBC, he was an assistant coach for the 16-1 team at the Volleyball Academy of the Pennyrile Region. Cariveau previously was the head varsity and junior varsity coach at Graves County H.S. in Mayfield, Ky. In 2018, he helped Graves County H.S. to a 30-9 mark, their best single-season record in school history. The team won the District Championship in both 2018 and 2019. They were the Region runner-up, including making their first-ever regional appearance, in 2018 and 2019. Cariveau was named the Region Coach of the Year in 2018. In 2019, he aided Graves County H.S. to a 27-11 mark, while in 2020 they went 16-11. He helped coach Audrey Cariveau to Honorable Mention All-State accolades in 2020, and Second Team All-State recognition in 2020.

From 2017-18, Cariveau coached the 16-U team for Elite Athletic Academy. He previously coached seventh grade, freshman, junior varsity, and was the assistant head coach at Ballard Memorial High School in Barlow, Ky., from 2015-18. Cariveau was the junior varsity coach and head coach for the girls' basketball team at Ballard Memorial H.S. for the 2014-15 season.

Cariveau played Division II basketball at the University of Missouri-St. Louis. He received his Master of Business Administration from Concordia University-St. Paul in 2012. Cariveau earned his bachelor's degree in marketing and management from Missouri-St. Louis in 1999.