The last time the Tennessee baseball team played at Lindsey Nelson Stadium was against Tennessee Tech on May 15, 2007. Many changes to the stadium have occurred since that 13-4 win.

Phase I of Lindsey Nelson renovations began following the 2007 season to update areas for player development and should be completed near the end of the 2008 season.

"We believe in players first, getting them an enlarged weight room, training room, new locker room with state of the art-Major League lockers," said Carmen Tegano, senior baseball administrator for Tennessee baseball.

Tegano says the project is going well, and that the project has been an enthusiastic effort from Tennessee's athletic department and school administration.

"Mike Hamilton (men's athletic director) is the one who got us refocused on baseball, to make sure that we are not second to anyone in the conference when it comes to facilities," said Tegano, who is in his seventh year as Tennessee's baseball administrator.

One of the key figures in getting the project started was Robert M. Lindsay, the son of a former UT football and baseball star who is a donor to Tennessee athletics.

"He wanted to be involved in the baseball stadium project in honor of his family and his father," said Jennifer Wiggins, director of capital support and endowment giving for the Volunteer Athletics and Scholarship Fund. "He agreed to make the lead gift for the renovations that made this effort possible."

Wiggins said Lindsay is giving $2 million towards the $4.5 million for Phase I renovations. The field will be named in his honor as Robert M. Lindsay Field at Lindsey Nelson Stadium.

While the Phase I improvements will mainly affect players and coaches, Phase II will bring improvements that will affect Tennessee fans.

"Phase II will deal with enhanced seating primarily," Tegano said. "When you go to a Major League ballpark, there are many great seats that are field level, and our primary goal is to get to that level."

Tegano and Wiggins said Phase II construction will begin following the 2008 season, dependent on funds.

The total Lindsey Nelson Stadium project will cost about $15 million, according to Wiggins.

Tegano said that the total seating capacity will increase from 2,300 seats to nearly 6,000 following both phases of renovation.