Washington University in St. Louis

Matt Kruger joins the Washington University in St. Louis cross country coaching staff as an assistant for the 2024 season. While this fall marks Kruger’s first collegiate coaching experience, he has provided personal distance running coaching services for a number of years. In addition, he currently serves as the Big River Racing Team men’s team captain.

As a collegiate athlete, Kruger competed for the WashU cross country and track and field teams from 2006 through 2010. A three-time scorer at the UAA Conference Outdoor Track & Field Meet in the 3000m steeplechase, he focused mostly on the steeplechase and 5000m events in track. In addition, Kruger finished in the top five for the Bears at the 2008 NCAA DIII Midwest Regional Cross Country Meet.

As a post-collegian, Kruger has focused mostly on the marathon distance. He has run all six World Marathon Majors in under 2:30 and owns a personal best of 2:23:54 in the maration, which was set at the 2023 California International Marathon. He also set a personal best in the half marathon of 1:08:44 at the 2023 Columbus Half Marathon.

A native of Omaha, Neb., Kruger earned his B.S. in civil engineering from WashU in 2010 and his M.S. in civil engineering from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign in 2011. Kruger is married to fellow WashU alum and assistant cross country coach, Sarah Kruger.