Penn State has received a pledge of $2.5 million from alumnus Anthony P. Lubrano as the lead gift for a new facility for the Nittany Lion baseball team.

Lubrano's gift is a significant step in the construction of a new baseball facility, which is projected to cost approximately $5 million. The gift is the second-largest made by someone to support a Penn State athletic facilities project.

Plans currently call for the new facility to be built in the same location as Beaver Field. The new stadium would have 2,000-3,000 seats, concession and picnic areas, locker rooms, a press box and lights, permitting night games for the first time. Beaver Field has a capacity of 1,000 and the stands and standing room only baselines are often filled during the season.

Coach Joe Hindelang, who is entering his 12th season as head coach and has taken the Lions to four Big Ten Tournament berths in the last six years, is thrilled with the possibilities Lubrano's gift presents.

"I met Anthony several years ago and he shared with me his desire to give back to his alma mater and his vision of a first-class baseball park for Penn State," Hindelang said.

A new baseball facility on the Penn State campus not only would provide a major boost to the Lions program, but would also provide opportunities for Penn State to host high school, PIAA and NCAA Tournament competition.

The timetable for construction of the stadium will be based upon the identification of additional contributions for the project.