BOSTON – The Boston Athletic Association (B.A.A.) today announced that Matt McDonald, the tenth-place finisher at February’s U.S. Olympic Trials – Men’s Marathon, has joined the B.A.A. High Performance Team. McDonald, a 2:11:10 marathoner and Ivy League 10,000m champion, will be coached by B.A.A. High Performance Coach Mark Carroll in Boston. The B.A.A.’s High Performance Team is sponsored by adidas.
“Matt brings marathon consistency and great experience to the B.A.A. High Performance Team,” said Coach Carroll. “We’re excited to welcome Matt to Boston and look forward to him joining fellow marathoners Jonas Hampton and Jerrell Mock on our roster.”
McDonald has completed six marathons, including a career-high tenth-place finish at the U.S. Olympic Trials – Men’s Marathon in February of 2020. Formerly a member of the Atlanta Track Club, he finished in 2:12:19 in his Olympic Trials Marathon debut.
"I'm excited to be joining such a strong program,” said McDonald. “The B.A.A. is putting together an outstanding team of marathon runners and I'm honored to be a part of it. I'm looking forward to big PRs while representing the B.A.A. and I'm hoping a home course advantage will make me a contender in the Boston Marathon."
Most recently, McDonald finished 24th in 2:14:14 at The Marathon Project on December 20, 2020. His marathon personal best stands at 2:11:10, set in Chicago in 2019 (14th place, fifth among Americans). McDonald also ran the 2019 Boston Marathon, finishing 21st in 2:16:58. His personal best in the half marathon is 1:03:56, set last year.
A graduate of Princeton University, McDonald earned his Doctorate in Chemical Engineering at Georgia Institute of Technology and is currently a Postdoctoral Associate in Chemical Engineering at M.I.T. While at Princeton, he was the Ivy League champion in the 10,000m in 2015.
The B.A.A.’s High Performance team supports American runners on their way towards making international teams, with the goal of competing at the highest level: the Olympic Games, World Athletics Championships, and Abbott World Marathon Majors. The B.A.A. is sponsored by adidas, which provides comprehensive support for the organization’s High Performance team, running club, and mass-participatory events.
Personal bests for McDonald can be found below, along with a complete list of B.A.A. High Performance Team members.
Matt McDonald
5,000m (outdoors): 14:11.69
5,000m (indoors): 14:18.10
10,000m (outdoors): 29:38.76
5K: 14:42
10K: 30:10
15K: 45:23
Half Marathon: 1:03:56
Marathon: 2:11:10
B.A.A High Performance Team Roster:
Dana Giordano
Jonas Hampton
Paul Hogan
Erika Kemp
Matt McDonald
Jerrell Mock
Anna Rohrer
Elaina Tabb