PHILADELPHIA – The Division of Recreation and Intercollegiate Athletics (DRIA) at the University of Pennsylvania is pleased to share the progress of fundraising efforts for a renovated Meiklejohn Stadium for the Penn baseball program. After launching a $2,050,000 match challenge in July 2020 thanks to a transformational gift from Warren Lichtenstein C'87, the program has raised $1,565,000 toward the overall goal, leaving $485,000 to raise to unlock the full match. Once the program hits this goal and completes the renovations, the playing surface will be known as Tommy Lasorda Field at Meiklejohn Stadium, named after the Baseball Hall of Fame inductee from Norristown, Pa. who won two World Series titles while managing the Los Angeles Dodgers. Tommy sadly passed away on January 7, 2021.

"I want to thank Warren and our current donors to the project for all they have done to impact the program with their investment in the stadium project," said John Yurkow, the W. Joseph Blood Head Coach of Baseball at Penn. "In particular, I want to thank baseball board members Ben Breier C'93 W'93 and Michael Green W'95 for their incredible support during this match phase. Because of the support from nearly 75 donors to this project, we are on the doorstep of a significant upgrade to provide our student-athletes with competitive advantages to succeed in the Ivy League and nationally. It would be an honor to memorialize Tommy and his impact on the game of baseball in this way." 

The program has a new deadline to hit its commitment goal of Friday, March 4, 2022, which marks start of the team's spring break trip in South Carolina at Wofford. By hitting this goal, the program will be able to renovate the field starting in late fall 2022, with renovations expected to be completed in time for the 2023 season.

Through a portion of his gift, Lichtenstein created a matching fund to inspire others to get involved. He will match dollar-for-dollar any contribution to the stadium project up to the final $2,050,000 goal, creating the $4,100,000 of additional funding necessary to complete the project. All gifts can be completed over a five-year pledge schedule. As a result of Warren's matching gift, naming opportunities associated with the project are available at half the gift level that was initially required. A special thank you to the following donors for their generosity in supporting the project's naming opportunities:

• Benjamin A. Breier C'93 W'93
• Michael Green W'95
• Craig R. Carnaroli W'85 and Amie D. Thornton C'84 WG'87
• The classes of 2004, 2005, and 2006
• Jonathan B. Brolin, C'95 and Tamara Brolin

The remaining opportunities include naming of the pitchers development area/home bullpen, the away bullpen, foul poles, and two rooms in the press box.
The program is also offering a seat plaque program, where with a gift of $5,000 for a premium seat and $2,500 for a non-premium seat, which will be stewarded with a name plaque on a seat at the field. Forty-five members of the Penn Baseball community, including alumni, parents, and friends, have already taken advantage of this opportunity.

Visit http://www.pennathletics.com/supportbaseballstadium today to make a gift. You can learn more about naming opportunities here.

Planned upgrades for the renovation will include a fully-turfed field, renovated dugouts, a re-orientation of the field, updated protective netting at the field, and a pitchers development area.

For more information about the project, including various naming opportunities, please contact Tim McLaughlin in the Penn Champions Club at (215) 573-5350 or at tmclau@upenn.edu.