Brothers Nathan and Sam Lawler reunite as teammates at Syracuse

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Nathan and Sam Lawler don’t like being too flashy when they run. 

“They both have that humble, quiet ferocity that is really emblematic of some classic distance runners,” said Chris Compson, the pair’s high school coach. “(They’re) guys who refuse to show very much of any emotion and have the stoic approach to racing.”

The Lawler brothers have raced alongside each other since junior high, when their dominance propelled them to the high school varsity level Pittsford Mendon High School (New York). For one season, they used their calm approach on two different teams. 

Nathan, who’s older than Sam by two years, joined Syracuse’s cross country squad in 2018 while Sam was still at Pittsford Mendon. Sam joined the Orange two years later, earning ACC Men’s Cross Country Rookie of the Week, while Nathan ran a personal record of 8:29.15 and finished 29th in the 3000m at the ACC Indoor Track and Field Championships.

The brothers’ dad, Mike Lawler, said they both grew up playing sports other than cross country. They played tackle football in the fall, basketball in the winter and baseball in the spring. Nathan said he was “too small” for tackle football, quitting the sport. He only began running for the local YMCA’s track program in the spring, leading Sam to join his brother.  

“They just seemed pretty fast,” Mike said. “We didn’t really know where it came from.” 

A year later, he came in first at a meet in Monroe County. Nathan joined Pittsford Mendon’s track & field team as an eighth grader, and Sam joined him in 2016.

At Pittsford Mendon, Compson said that both runners provided an “air of confidence” for each team. The brothers’ success individually “helped usher a new level of commitment in our team,” which Compson added has carried on past both their high school careers. Since Sam and Nathan joined SU, Pittsford Mendon has continued to win section championships. 

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The two brothers tore through the record books right from the start. Along with their numerous class records, Sam holds the 3,000-meter steeplechase school record while Nathan holds the 3,200 meter record.

“If I had to create a Mount Rushmore of distance running, Nathan and Sam would absolutely be part of that,” Compson said. “If you talked to any coaches across section five, both of them rank up in the very upper echelon of guys who have come out of New York and upstate running.”

Sam was usually in the shadow of Nathan, who sprung onto college’s radar when he was a sophomore by adding onto his success with a state championship and Nike All-American team honor in his senior year.

“It was a pretty big shadow that Nathan cast in the state of New York in terms of his accomplishments,” Mike said. “But Sam really broke out of that.”

Sam still earned a legacy separate from his brother, finishing 6th at the 2019 Nike Cross Nationals and placing second at the Nike Cross Nationals New York Region. But his senior outdoor season was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“But when you look at their (Sam and Nathan’s) complete body of work from freshman to senior year, it’s really hard to find other guys that far exceed that,” Compson said.

Mike said that cross country brought the two brothers closer together. They competed against each other even though Nathan had the two-year advantage on Sam.

“We always want the best for each other, but when I see Nathan do something, it just motivates me,” Sam said.

Nathan received attention  from colleges in his sophomore year after running in the Manhattan Invitational and placing sixth at the Eastern Days Championships. He landed on Syracuse’s roster, and when it came time for Sam to also pick a school to race at, Nathan didn’t want to push him.

“Sam knew I wanted him to come here, but obviously I knew it was his decision,” Nathan said.

Syracuse head coach Brien Bell’s ambition and the success of the program influenced Sam’s decision to attend Syracuse. This season, the brothers will reunite on the track for the first time since high school.

“That’s what’s really exciting about this year,” Mike said. “Syracuse cross country has a really good team, and it’s great seeing Nathan and Sam both contributing together again.”