TOWSON, Md. - The 2009 cross country season could be a memorable one for Towson coach Roger Erricker for reasons beyond the fact that it will be his 25^th year directing the Tigers' program.

The Tigers open their season next Friday afternoon when they host the Baltimore Metro Meet at their Oregon Ridge Park course at 4:00 p.m.

With 11 letter winners returning from last year's 53-40 team that placed 7^th at the CAA championships, Erricker is confident the Tigers can climb over a couple of more league opponents to be a top five team.

"It will be a better year," says the coach who celebrates his silver anniversary this season. "We were disappointed in our finish at the CAA Meet last year. Our goal this year is to finish in the upper half of the conference."

In addition to his top runners from 2008 coming back, sophomore Katie Ogden returns to the lineup after sitting out the entire 2008-09 year with a stress fracture. Her presence would have made a difference. Ogden was the Tigers' top finisher two years ago as a freshman. Fully recovered, Erricker expects her to take the lead again this fall.

Close behind Ogden will be sophomore Liya Kasimova who took over for the sidelined Ogden in 2008. Kasimova, who garnered CAA Rookie of the Week honors last fall after setting a new Oregon Ridge Park 5K course record (18:15) for a Towson runner, should push Ogden for the lead role. Erricker watched Kasimova's times trickle down last spring on the track boding a stronger cross performance this fall.

Sophomore Kaylin Gilmartin-Donohue should figure among the early finishers. Her sixth place showing in the Baltimore Metro Meet (18:46) was tops for the Tigers. She added a third place finish (18:42) at the Towson Invitational. Gilmartin-Donohue and Kasimova were the only runners to post sub-19:00 5K's for Towson last year.

Senior Michelle Donadio is a tough competitor who ran through injuries last year. She has returned to health but her academic schedule might make training with the team difficult. She is attending the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy as part of a co-op program that will earn her a degree in Medicinal Chemistry.

Erricker is waiting for junior Brandi Gervais to break to the front. Gervais was an All-Ohio Valley Conference runner at Southeast Missouri State where she ran a PR 18:24 5K before transferring to Towson last year. She's another runner whose improvement on the track last spring should translate into a more productive fall.

Senior captain Megan DiGregorio has been a solid contributor during her career. She had one top 10 finish last year, placing ninth in the Towson Invitational with a PR 19:11. Sophomore Erika Griffith should keep pace with the pack again as well.

Senior Melanie Blanco plus juniors Brittni Bradley and Lindsay Warfield are veterans who continue to shave seconds off their times. Warfield was especially impressive during the Tigers' pre-season camp.

Among the newcomers Erricker considers junior Karen Riddle a factor. This will be her first year on the cross country course. She joined the Tigers' track squad last year, running the middle distances.

Several freshmen will add depth, including Hannah McKenzie, Alayna Cote and Madelyn Fisher. McKenzie helped C. Milton Wright High School to consecutive state championships in her junior and senior year. Cote was part of Williamstown High School's Glouchester Tri-County championship team in 2008.