Penn State's already got the name, along with a new baseball coach and, just recently, new plans for a new baseball stadium.

Now if someone could do something about getting warm weather up North in, say, January, things would be just about perfect.

But nonetheless, Penn State's Board of Trustees approved plans last month to build a new baseball stadium that is expected to be used by the Penn State baseball team along with a minor league baseball team.

The minor league team is expected to be purchased by the Altoona Curve, and while that aspect of the project is still uncertain, the new facilities that are expected to be completed in June 2006 are stirring some enthusiasm.

"The plans of the new facilities are exciting," Penn State coach Robbie Wine said. "That aspect of it is very important and exciting to me. The things that I'm hearing and people are talking about are state of the art. They could be the best in the country. Maybe even minor baseball level."

Since there is no baseball stadium actually built yet and there are kinks still being worked out, Wine is holding off on using his future home as a recruiting tool. For a team that has only had one winning season (29-28 at that) since 2001, a brand new, top-tier stadium can only help.

"We've hesitated in selling that right now," Wine said. "All we can talk about is the plans. Once they start digging and building then we can start promising. The football program was great this fall. I know they had a borderline season but having a kid come in here and go down on the sideline and see the support and the tailgating. There's so much to do here it sells itself. The new baseball stadium is something that is a plus."

If all goes as planned, the Nittany Lions won't be able to take the field on their new turf until the 2007 season. If anything, a minor league team would be able to play a short season the summer of 2006.

Penn State athletic director Tim Curley is expecting the new stadium to elevate the program.

"It will be a really important facility not only for Penn State, but for the entire [university]," Curley said. "Basically everyone knows our current baseball facilities aren't up to Big Ten standards. Certainly not up to any national standards. We're not in a position to host any regional events or any really big events so a new stadium will give us an opportunity to do all those things."

Though a large chunk of the team won't be around to see the first pitch in two seasons, some of the older players can't help but wonder how recruits would be able to turn down a chance to play in something as special as what they're hearing of the stadium.

"From what it sounds like, it will only help," senior shortstop Mike Milliron said.

"I can't imagine being a high school kid and not wanting to play at that stadium. If it's anything like the Altoona Curve stadium, I can't imagine a kid from Pennsylvania or from California, or wherever not wanting to play in that stadium."

For now, the Lions will stay in Beaver Field, where they've been since 1967. Beaver Field has 1,000 seats. The new stadium is expected to hold up to 6,000.