2015-2016 Men's Track and Field Roster
Layding, Samuel

Samuel Layding
- Position:
- Distance
- Class:
- First Year
- Hometown:
- Clinton, N.J.
- High School:
- North Hunterdon
- Major:
- Chemical Engineering
Bio
TRACK PERSONAL RECORDS
PERSONAL BESTS:
6K: 18:48.4 (2015 Lehigh Invitational)
8K: 25:14.7 (2016 Paul Short Run - Gold)
10K: 32:06.9 (2016 NCAA Regional)
2019 OUTDOORS: Ran 1500m at Covert Classic finishing third with time of 4:04.01… named to Patriot League Academic Honor Roll.
2019 INDOORS: Finished 26th overall in the 3K at the Boston University Bruce Lehane Scarlet and White Invitational (8:50.33)… Finished first overall in the 5K at the Navy Invitational (15:10.50)… Finished first overall in the 3K at the Lehigh versus Lafayette Meet (8:43.55)… Finished second overall in the 3K at the Angry Birds Challenge (8:45.04)… Finished third overall in the 4x800m relay at the Lehigh Fast Times Before Finals meet (8:19.73).
2018 CROSS COUNTRY: Finished second overall at the Lehigh-Lafayette Dual Meet (26:58.7)… Named to the Patriot League Academic Honor Roll, earning a 4.0 GPA for the fall 2018 semester.
2018 OUTDOORS: Did not compete…Named to the Patriot League Academic Honor Roll and the ECAC President’s Honor Roll.
2018 INDOORS: Competed in the 3,000m (8:44.90) and the 5,000m (15.13.73) at the Patriot League Championships…Ran the mile (4:29.15) at the Wagner Invite…Finished sixth in the 3,000m (season best 8:29.23)…Placed seventh with a season best 5,000m time of 14:53.57 at the Dr. Sander Invitational Armory Challenge.
2017 CROSS COUNTRY: Placed 65th overall at the Patriot League Championships (26:47.6)…Finished 163rd overall and fourth on the team at the Princeton Invitational (26:18.6)…Made his season debut in the Paul Short Run’s Open Race and finished 52nd out of 336 runners (25:43.8)…Named to the Patriot League Academic Honor Roll.
2017 OUTDOORS: Named to the Patriot League Academic Honor Roll…Did not compete.
2017 INDOORS: Competed on the third place 4x800 relay team at Lehigh Fast Times Before Finals.
2016 CROSS COUNTRY: Finished 66th overall at the NCAA Mid-Atlantic Regional (32:06.9)...Scored team points in seventh place, finishing 37th overall at the Patriot League Championships (26:02.5)...Placed third on the team, 174th overall at the Pre-Nationals (25:46.8)...Finished 158th overall, third on the team in the Paul Short Run's Gold Race (25:14.7)...Turned in a 13th place finish in his season debut at the Lehigh-Lafaytte dual meet (27:33.01)…Named to the Patriot League Academic Honor Roll.
2016 OUTDOORS: Placed sixth overall in the 10K at the USATF Junior Outdoor National Championships in Clovia, Calif. (31:05.81)...Finished 14th out of 37 in the 5K at the IC4A Championships with a season-best time of 14:39.35…Finished eighth in the 10K (30:53.50) and 16th in the 5K (14:56.63) at the Patriot League Championships…Finished 14th (4:07.59) at the Muhlenberg Spring Invitational…Ran the 10K in 30:44.23 at the Bison Outdoor Classic...Named to the Patriot League Academic Honor Roll.
2016 INDOORS: Placed 16th in the 5.000 meter race at the Patriot League Championships…Won the 5,000 meter race at the Lehigh Covert Classic (14:45.02)…Finished second overall in the 3,000 run at the Lehigh-Lafayette dual meet.
2015 CROSS COUNTRY: Finished sixth overall at the 6K Lehigh Invitational (18:48.4)…Competed at the 8K Lafayette dual meet…Competed in the Paul Short Gold race (26:40.8)...Placed fourth on the Mountain Hawks, 56th overall at the Leopard Invitational (27:40.9).
BEFORE LEHIGH: Athletics: Qualified for NJSIAA Group 4 Championships 10 times, runner-up at 2015 Indoor Group 4 Championship 3200m, placed 5th at 2015 Indoor Meet of Champions…All-Area, All-Conference in Track and Cross Country…Team captain in track and cross country…Skylands Conference Scholar-Athlete Award recipient, 2015 Skylands Conference Indoor Track Athlete of the Year.
Academics: Class Salutatorian at North Hunterdon High...4.28 GPA. National AP Scholar with Distinction…Member of National Math Honor Society and National German Honor Society…Two-time Gold Award winner on AATG National German Exam…Captain of the school trivia team.
PERSONAL: Son of Margaret and Marty Layding…Has three siblings, Matthew, Caroline and Isabelle.
GETTING TO KNOW SAM
Nickname: Slam Bird
Why did you choose Lehigh? It is close to home, had a fantastic reputation as an engineering school, and has enjoyed a lot of distance running success in recent years.
What’s your favorite thing about Lehigh? Being friends with a team of great people who want to be the best athletes and students that they possibly can. Also, the Goose.
Major & Why: Chemical Engineering, because it offers a broad foundation in science and problem-solving. I hope to work in the alternative energy industry and help “save the planet.”
Favorite Class at Lehigh: Social Movements and Legacies of the 1960s
Favorite Place on Campus: Rathbone Hall
Favorite Food: Quinoa
Favorite Color: Green
Favorite Musical Artist: DJ Mike Sounds
Favorite Movie: Fight Club
Favorite TV Show: 30 Rock
Favorite Website: www.letsrun.com
Favorite Sports Broadcaster: Frank Caliendo as John Madden
Favorite Pro Team: Bowerman Track Club
Favorite Athlete In Another Sport: Greg Jennings
Most admired person and why: Chris Solinsky, because he showed that it’s possible to be tall and a world-class 10k runner.
Hobbies: Drinking coffee, reading, listening to music, baking
Magazine Cover I'd Like To Be On: XXL
Place I'd Like To Visit: Boulder, Colorado
Talent I’d Most Like To Have: Ability to dunk a basketball. I can hardly touch rim!
Dream Job: Pro running aside, I would love to have my own coffeehouse.
If I Didn't Run Track, I Would Play: The piano, because of how uncoordinated I am.
If I Had $1 Billion, I Would: Do everything that the Barenaked Ladies would do with a million dollars a thousand times over.
PERSONAL BESTS:
6K: 18:48.4 (2015 Lehigh Invitational)
8K: 25:14.7 (2016 Paul Short Run - Gold)
10K: 32:06.9 (2016 NCAA Regional)
2019 OUTDOORS: Ran 1500m at Covert Classic finishing third with time of 4:04.01… named to Patriot League Academic Honor Roll.
2019 INDOORS: Finished 26th overall in the 3K at the Boston University Bruce Lehane Scarlet and White Invitational (8:50.33)… Finished first overall in the 5K at the Navy Invitational (15:10.50)… Finished first overall in the 3K at the Lehigh versus Lafayette Meet (8:43.55)… Finished second overall in the 3K at the Angry Birds Challenge (8:45.04)… Finished third overall in the 4x800m relay at the Lehigh Fast Times Before Finals meet (8:19.73).
2018 CROSS COUNTRY: Finished second overall at the Lehigh-Lafayette Dual Meet (26:58.7)… Named to the Patriot League Academic Honor Roll, earning a 4.0 GPA for the fall 2018 semester.
2018 OUTDOORS: Did not compete…Named to the Patriot League Academic Honor Roll and the ECAC President’s Honor Roll.
2018 INDOORS: Competed in the 3,000m (8:44.90) and the 5,000m (15.13.73) at the Patriot League Championships…Ran the mile (4:29.15) at the Wagner Invite…Finished sixth in the 3,000m (season best 8:29.23)…Placed seventh with a season best 5,000m time of 14:53.57 at the Dr. Sander Invitational Armory Challenge.
2017 CROSS COUNTRY: Placed 65th overall at the Patriot League Championships (26:47.6)…Finished 163rd overall and fourth on the team at the Princeton Invitational (26:18.6)…Made his season debut in the Paul Short Run’s Open Race and finished 52nd out of 336 runners (25:43.8)…Named to the Patriot League Academic Honor Roll.
2017 OUTDOORS: Named to the Patriot League Academic Honor Roll…Did not compete.
2017 INDOORS: Competed on the third place 4x800 relay team at Lehigh Fast Times Before Finals.
2016 CROSS COUNTRY: Finished 66th overall at the NCAA Mid-Atlantic Regional (32:06.9)...Scored team points in seventh place, finishing 37th overall at the Patriot League Championships (26:02.5)...Placed third on the team, 174th overall at the Pre-Nationals (25:46.8)...Finished 158th overall, third on the team in the Paul Short Run's Gold Race (25:14.7)...Turned in a 13th place finish in his season debut at the Lehigh-Lafaytte dual meet (27:33.01)…Named to the Patriot League Academic Honor Roll.
2016 OUTDOORS: Placed sixth overall in the 10K at the USATF Junior Outdoor National Championships in Clovia, Calif. (31:05.81)...Finished 14th out of 37 in the 5K at the IC4A Championships with a season-best time of 14:39.35…Finished eighth in the 10K (30:53.50) and 16th in the 5K (14:56.63) at the Patriot League Championships…Finished 14th (4:07.59) at the Muhlenberg Spring Invitational…Ran the 10K in 30:44.23 at the Bison Outdoor Classic...Named to the Patriot League Academic Honor Roll.
2016 INDOORS: Placed 16th in the 5.000 meter race at the Patriot League Championships…Won the 5,000 meter race at the Lehigh Covert Classic (14:45.02)…Finished second overall in the 3,000 run at the Lehigh-Lafayette dual meet.
2015 CROSS COUNTRY: Finished sixth overall at the 6K Lehigh Invitational (18:48.4)…Competed at the 8K Lafayette dual meet…Competed in the Paul Short Gold race (26:40.8)...Placed fourth on the Mountain Hawks, 56th overall at the Leopard Invitational (27:40.9).
BEFORE LEHIGH: Athletics: Qualified for NJSIAA Group 4 Championships 10 times, runner-up at 2015 Indoor Group 4 Championship 3200m, placed 5th at 2015 Indoor Meet of Champions…All-Area, All-Conference in Track and Cross Country…Team captain in track and cross country…Skylands Conference Scholar-Athlete Award recipient, 2015 Skylands Conference Indoor Track Athlete of the Year.
Academics: Class Salutatorian at North Hunterdon High...4.28 GPA. National AP Scholar with Distinction…Member of National Math Honor Society and National German Honor Society…Two-time Gold Award winner on AATG National German Exam…Captain of the school trivia team.
PERSONAL: Son of Margaret and Marty Layding…Has three siblings, Matthew, Caroline and Isabelle.
GETTING TO KNOW SAM
Nickname: Slam Bird
Why did you choose Lehigh? It is close to home, had a fantastic reputation as an engineering school, and has enjoyed a lot of distance running success in recent years.
What’s your favorite thing about Lehigh? Being friends with a team of great people who want to be the best athletes and students that they possibly can. Also, the Goose.
Major & Why: Chemical Engineering, because it offers a broad foundation in science and problem-solving. I hope to work in the alternative energy industry and help “save the planet.”
Favorite Class at Lehigh: Social Movements and Legacies of the 1960s
Favorite Place on Campus: Rathbone Hall
Favorite Food: Quinoa
Favorite Color: Green
Favorite Musical Artist: DJ Mike Sounds
Favorite Movie: Fight Club
Favorite TV Show: 30 Rock
Favorite Website: www.letsrun.com
Favorite Sports Broadcaster: Frank Caliendo as John Madden
Favorite Pro Team: Bowerman Track Club
Favorite Athlete In Another Sport: Greg Jennings
Most admired person and why: Chris Solinsky, because he showed that it’s possible to be tall and a world-class 10k runner.
Hobbies: Drinking coffee, reading, listening to music, baking
Magazine Cover I'd Like To Be On: XXL
Place I'd Like To Visit: Boulder, Colorado
Talent I’d Most Like To Have: Ability to dunk a basketball. I can hardly touch rim!
Dream Job: Pro running aside, I would love to have my own coffeehouse.
If I Didn't Run Track, I Would Play: The piano, because of how uncoordinated I am.
If I Had $1 Billion, I Would: Do everything that the Barenaked Ladies would do with a million dollars a thousand times over.
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Sunday, September 28
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Friday, September 26
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Wednesday, September 24
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Thursday, September 18