TOWSON, Md. – Towson sophomore Elizabeth Tauber will enter the fall season in 2012 as one of the top returning runners for the Tiger cross country team and head coach Roger Erricker.

“She's going to be very important to us,” Erricker said. “She has the potential to be our top runner.”

Tauber, who competed scholastically at The John Carroll School in Bel Air, Md., figured prominently in the Tigers' success last season. She had three races where she finished in the top three places overall, with her best finish of the season a second-place mark in her collegiate debut at the Baltimore Metro Meet. Her time of 19:23.33 on the 5K course at Oregon Ridge Park helped the Tigers take first place in the meet.

Her best time of the season in a 5K race came in Towson's next meet during the Cappy Anderson Invitational, where Tauber finished the course in 18:23.52 en route to a third-place finish.

According to Erricker, Tauber learned the ropes of excelling at the collegiate level from Katie Ogden, who served as a willing mentor for Tauber during her time of transition.

“Katie Ogden really took her under her wing,” Erricker said. “That really helped Elizabeth out. She's very talented but the transition from high school to college, although she did very well, was tough for her. Katie was very instrumental in keeping her head straight. I was so thankful for that.”

Of course, learning from Ogden, the school record-holder in the 5K, was about as ideal as it could get. The tricks of the trade Tauber learned from Ogden should help Tauber become more confident this season, according to Erricker, as she continues to asserts herself as a leader by example. That leadership will carry on as the summer progresses and as the team hits the weight-room looking to increase their strength and stamina for the upcoming season.

“We look for our girls to get a little stronger over the summer,” Erricker said. “Our weight training is very important for that.”