Matt Haugen has directed the Macalester cross country and track middle distance and distance program since 2003. He has guided his Macalester cross country teams to four top-four MIAC, and four top-10 Central Region finishes, and was the MIAC Coach of the Year in his inaugural season. Haugen also served as the Women's and Men's Co-Head Track and Field Coach for the 2013-14 season.
Macalester cross country runners have achieved All-MIAC honors 12 times and All-Region status 12 times under Haugen’s guidance. In 2009, Wade Ekstrom ’10 qualified for the NCAA Cross Country Championships. On the oval, Haugen has coached All-MIAC performers in the 800 meters, 1500 meters, mile, 5000 meters, 10,000 meters, and the 4x800-meter and distance medley relays. His track runners have set six school records, and have posted over 60 all-time top 10 Macalester performances. Macalester cross country student-athletes have also earned All-American Academic Team honors since 2006.
Prior to his arrival at Macalester, Haugen was the USA Triathlon National Teams Coach and Program Director from 1997 through the 2000 Olympic Games. He coached four World Championship teams (silver medalists), the 1999 Pan Am Games team (silver medal), three world cup medalists, and two USA National Champions. Haugen was the USOC Triathlon Coach of the Year three times.
Haugen served as a faculty member at St. Olaf College from 1985-1997, where he coached All-Americans in cross country, nordic skiing, and track. His first collegiate coaching position was at Macalester (1985), where he coached the MIAC women's 100-meter dash champion. He was St. Olaf College’s head women's track & field coach in 1997.
Haugen received a bachelor's degree in psychology from St. Olaf College, and a master's in exercise science from Penn State University. He was also a doctoral candidate at the University of Minnesota, with an emphasis on sport psychology.
Haugen was the MIAC cross country champion, and an All-American (fifth place) at St. Olaf College. He later posted personal bests of 2:23 in the marathon, 8 hours and 41 minutes in the Ironman triathlon, and was the Master's Champion in the Pikes Peak Marathon. He continues to pursue endurance challenges, and participate in events as a coach and clinician. Haugen currently volunteers with the St. Paul Firefighters Wellness Committee.
