Matt Scherer


Matt Scherer was an American track and field athlete and a top professional pacemaker.

High school career

Scherer competed for Red Hill High School in Bridgeport, Illinois, from 1999 through 2002. His senior year he scored 28 individual points at the Illinois High School Association State Championship meet, which placed his school 3rd in the team standings.

College career

Scherer attended the University of Oregon from 2003 to 2006 where he studied Business and was a 9-time All-American. In 2005 he ran the anchor leg of the 3rd place 4 × 400 m relay team at the NCAA Championship meet, finishing in a time of 3:00.81 which was ranked #7 all-time in NCAA Championship Meet History. He won the Pac-10 championship in the 400 m in 2006 in 45.19.

Professional career

Oregon Track Club
Ran the 400 meter leg of the American Record setting indoor distance medley relay on February 12, 2010.
Ran 1:14.41 in the 600 m on June 15, 2008, the 8th fastest time ever run

Personal life

It was announced on December 8, 2021, that Scherer died that week, at the age of 38, as per a statement by RunnerSpace where he worked as the Chief Operating Officer.

Pacing career

Began pacing full-time in 2011 and paced for many of the top 800 m and 1500 m runners in the world.


This table lists the records he paced:
DateNameNationalityEventTimeRecordCompetitionRef
3 July 2010Abubaker Kaki1000 m2:13.62Sudanese National Record
USA Area Record
Prefontaine Classic
19 February 2011Musaeb Abdulrahman Balla1000 m2:21.71Qatari National Indoor RecordBirmingham Indoor Grand Prix
18 February 2012Mohammed Aman800 m1:45.40Ethiopian National Indoor RecordXL Galan
29 April 2012Henrik Ingebrigtsen1500 m3:36.39Norwegian National RecordPayton Jordan Invitational
16 May 2012Mohammed Aman800 m1:43.51Korean Area RecordColorful Daegu Championships Meeting
9 June 2012David Rudisha800 m1:41.74USA Area Recordadidas Grand Prix
14 July 2012Abraham Kipchirchir Rotich800 m1:43.15Kenyan National Junior RecordKBC Night of Athletics
20 July 2012Abraham Kipchirchir Rotich800 m1:43.15Kenyan National Junior RecordHerculis
20 July 2012Kevin López800 m1:43.74Spanish National RecordHerculis
20 August 2012Nate Brannen1000 m2:16.52Canadian National RecordGugl Games
20 August 2012Mohamed Al-Garni1000 m2:17.32Qatari National RecordGugl Games
21 February 2013Mohammed Aman800 m1:45.05Ethiopian National Indoor RecordDN Galan

Personal bests

  • 200 m - 20.89 - 5/13/2006
  • 300 m - 32.77 - 8/8/2006
  • 400 m - 45.19 - 5/14/2006
  • 400 m Hurdles - 53.21 - 2003
  • 600 m - 1:14.41 - 6/15/2008
  • 800 m - 1:46.11 - 6/8/2008