TOWSON, Md. - Confidence can do wonders for an athlete's performance, just ask junior Lindsay Warfield who has come from far back in the pack to take the lead for Towson's cross country team.

After the 2006 cross country season Lindsay transferred from UNC Charlotte to Towson. Per NCAA transfer rules she had to serve a redshirt year. She didn't run cross competitively again until the fall, 2008. Once she returned to the collegiate course, it certainly wasn't what she expected

"Even though I had to take the year off I continued to train," said the Woodbine, Md. native. "But it wasn't the same as competing. I lost the edge."

It took her a year to find it and get it back.

Lindsay enjoyed a successful prep career at South Carroll High School where she joined the cross country team as a freshman so she could run with her older sister, Lauren. Before it was all over Lindsay earned All-Monacacy Valley honors in both cross country and track. She was the 2006 Maryland State 3200 indoor champion with an impressive clocking of 11:53. She broke the program record for the mile run with a 5:32. She was named Runner of the Year. She was selected Scholar Athlete of the Year for both cross country and track.

UNC Charlotte was impressed enough to offer her a partial cross country scholarship. Lindsay ran four races for the 49ers. Her top effort was a 16^th place at the Winthrop Invitational in 19:45, placing her fourth among the 49er runners.

"I wanted to try something new, get away from home a bit," Lindsay said of her decision to attend UNCC. "Also, we had family in the Charlotte area. I was there one semester and left. It wasn't for me. The real reason I chose to transfer to Towson was because Lauren was going to school here and it was closer to home."

Lindsay landed at Towson under the radar until cross country coach Roger Erricker spotted her in a class.

"I noticed this girl who ran a six-minute mile in my track class," said Erricker. "Naturally, I had to ask who she was. I was familiar with the name and actually had word from her high school coach that she was heading our way."

Before too long Erricker hauled Lindsay out of class and had her working out with the track team in preparation for cross country.

Lindsay's first year on the Tigers' cross country circuit wasn't what she had hoped it would be. Her top finish was a 20^th place in the Towson Invitational when she posted her season best 5K time of 19:58. She placed ninth for the Tigers at the Colonial Athletic Association Meet, failing to qualify for the Mid-Atlantic Regionals. She did not compete in Towson's final race of the year, the ECAC's.

The indoor track season got off to a slow start for her too but as the winter wore on, she began to pick up her pace. Times started dropping. The confidence was building.

When the Tigers returned from their pre-season cross country summer camp in August, Erricker was pleasantly surprised.

"I'd have to say that Lindsay had the best camp of anyone," Erricker said.

In the year's first meet, the Baltimore Metro, Lindsay finished the 5K race in15^th  place, turning a 19:47. In the same race a year ago, she finished 46^th with a time of 20:52.

The following week Lindsay ran third overall in the Towson Invitational, clocking a 19:24 to improve her time by 23 seconds on same Oregon Ridge Park course. By week three she was smokin'. She ran her first sub 19:00 5K, clocking an 18:58 to place second overall in a field of 114 runners at the Delaware Invitational. In 2008 she placed 28^th overall in 20:14 in the very same race.

Last Saturday she was Towson's top finisher again, placing 7^th overall at the Delaware Invitational II in 19:18 over a rain-soaked, sloppy course.

"It's been a confidence thing," Lindsay said. "It was mental. I talked myself out of races. My first race this season was not that great but I realized I was a lot better. I realized in workouts too that I was moving up. Taking that third place in the Towson Invitational was what I needed - besides - Roger kept screaming at me that I was the strongest runner out there."

 "To me, Lindsay's success this fall is satisfying on several levels," Coach Erricker said. "It's wonderful to see her renewed joy in running. It has made us a better team and, it is affirmation that what I'm doing as a coach is working."

Another huge influence has been Lindsay's, father, Brian.

"My dad told me to run like I was just running on my own and not to think about the competition around me," said Lindsay. "Dad said he could tell from my first race that I could have done better. That helped me a lot."

Life isn't all cross country for Lindsay, who plans on graduating in January, 2011. She's carrying a 3.938 grade point average as a Sports Management major. Her academic success has been a result of hard work. But at the same time, it hasn't been all consuming. She has hobbies too.

"I like to fish," said Lindsay who uses her own tackle. "And yes, I bait my own hooks and take the fish off myself."

Just like running and studying, that takes confidence too.