Once a hockey player, after several injuries in college, Matt turned to running.
Having competed for the All-Army Cross-Country team at the US National Cross Country Championships in 2009, as well as competed in several ultra- and trail-running competitions, Matt was named the 2009 US Army Athlete of the Year.
The award was given at a Association of the US Army event in Florida, by General (ret.) Gordon Sullivan, General Ann Dunwoody, and General Martin Dempsey.