CROOKSTON, Minn. – The University of Minnesota Crookston volleyball program announced the promotion of Nick Meseck to head volleyball coach. Meseck has been serving as interim head coach since June 9, 2022.

"We are very excited to elevate Nick Meseck to head coach of the volleyball program," said Director of Athletics Stephanie Helgeson. "We have been very impressed about the culture Nick has started to build in his short time as interim head coach. We are very excited about the energy of the program, and the competitiveness he has brought to the program. We can't wait to see him hit the ground running and hit the recruiting trail and build on what the team has done so far this season."

Meseck has helped the Golden Eagles triple their wins from the 2021 season so far during the 2022 slate. Meseck has guided Minnesota Crookston to three wins, with victories over Bemidji State University, Minot State University, and University of Illinois Springfield. In addition, the Golden Eagles have won 16 sets in 2022, including taking University of Mary, and Upper Iowa University to fifth sets. Minnesota Crookston has been guided by Audrey Cariveau (Fr., OH, Kevil, Ky.), with 2.68 kills per set. Cariveau set the school record with 29 kills. Mara Weisensel (Jr., MH, New Ulm, Minn.) comes in tallying 2.24 kills per set. Bailey Schaefer (So., OH, Brandon, Minn.) comes in notching 2.15 kills and 2.81 digs per set. Natalie Koke (R-Sr., S, Caledonia, Wis.) leads the team with 7.48 assists per set. She set a personal record with 53 assists versus University of Mary. Defensively, Layne Whaley (So., Ashland, Neb.) comes in notching 3.39 digs per set.

The Golden Eagles are one win away from tying their four wins mark from the 2018 and 2019 seasons. Minnesota Crookston has not won more than four matches since seven wins in 2017.

"I am honored to be the next leader of the Minnesota Crookston volleyball program," Meseck said. "I would like to thank our Athletic Director, Stephanie Helgeson, and the search committee for their confidence in me to lead this program to success. I am thrilled to be able to continue to build on the growth we have already started to see this season. I am excited to keep recruiting knowing we have a solid direction for the program moving forward."

Meseck is in his second season with the program after serving as an assistant coach for the Golden Eagles in 2021.

In his first season as an assistant coach, UMN Crookston posted a 1-24 mark. The Golden Eagles were outstanding in the classroom, as they had Lauren Wallace, Bailey Mulcahy, Madison Klimek, and Natalie Koke all receive NSIC All-Academic laurels during the season. In addition, Wallace was named a 2021-22 NSIC Myles Brand All-Academic with Distinction recipient.

Meseck got his start in May of 2017 at Northern Cass High School as an assistant coach. In June of 2019, Meseck got his first college coaching opportunity at North Dakota State College of Science (NDSCS) in Wahpeton, N.D. Meseck had been with MSU Moorhead since February of 2020, where he played a key role in recruiting and was in charge of film software and film breakdown, as well as running the main social media accounts for the team's social media.

Since 2011, Meseck has been on the board and has been the head coach of Summit, one of the premier club volleyball programs in the state of North Dakota.

Meseck graduated from Minnesota State University Moorhead with a Bachelor of Science in exercise science with a minor in strength and conditioning. He also earned All-NSIC honors in track and field while he was a student-athlete for the Dragons. Meseck was the NSIC Men's Outdoor Individual Champion in men's triple jump in 2008.


In addition, Bret Cariveau has been promoted to assistant coach for the Golden Eagles. He was hired as interim assistant coach August 5, 2022. Cariveau joined the Golden Eagles after spending the past three years running PU5H VBC, a volleyball club he founded in Western Kentucky.

"We hired Bret Cariveau right before our season started, and I couldn't be happier with what he has brought to our program," Meseck stated. "He has helped us maintain a high, competitive standard on and off the court. When it comes to recruiting, he has many connections from different parts of the country, so we can reach athletes we haven't in the past."

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.