Robbie Wine Position: Head Coach Years: 5th Season

In just four years at the helm at Penn State, head coach Robbie Wine has anchored the Nittany Lion program into one of the more stable teams in the Big Ten. Wine, the school's 13th coach, has turned the school's oldest athletics program into one that exceeded expectations. It has been deemed one of the most progressive teams in the nation by college baseball media.

Wine became the first baseball coach in Penn State history, last season, to produce back-to-back top three finishes in the Big Ten. The Nittany Lions placed third in 2008, dramatically rallying from an early Big Ten deficit to shut out Indiana and Iowa en route to a three-seed in the conference tournament. Penn State finished with 17 wins in conference play. Over the past two seasons, Wine's squad has maintained a winning percentage of .600 against Big Ten opposition.

Penn State made Medlar Field at Lubrano Park both a fan friendly and a record-friendly atmosphere as it went 15-9 in its home confines. The Nittany Lions produced four crowds of over 2,000 and placed 42nd nationally for the second straight year in attendance per home date, beating the ranks of some of college baseball's top programs, such as Vanderbilt and Arizona. In only two seasons, Penn State baseball has made Medlar Field at Lubrano Park "one of college baseball's best stadiums."

Known and respected throughout both professional and collegiate baseball circles, Wine has used his connections throughout his first four years in Happy Valley to expand Penn State's recruiting reach. Traditionally known more as a regional program in terms of recruiting in the past, Wine has gradually made Penn State baseball into a nationally-known name in recruiting. Penn State will enter this season with players from Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Hawai'i, Idaho, Illinois, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina and Texas. For next year, it has already signed players from Florida, Georgia and Texas once again, as well as New Mexico. Wine has also kept some of Pennsylvania and Happy Valley's best prep talent close to home. There are currently three players from State College, Pa. on the roster.

Not only are some of the best prep and junior college talent signing with Penn State, but they are also performing once they get here. Last June, Wine recruit Drew O'Neil, who was selected in the fourth round by the Chicago White Sox, again became the highest drafted Penn State player since Nate Bump went in the first round in 1998 and just the second Penn Stater to be drafted in the top 10 rounds in the past 31 years. Before O'Neil's selection, Wine had five players selected in the 2007 draft.

Wine has 26 years of playing and coaching experience at the college and professional levels. Prior to coming to Penn State, he was an assistant coach in charge of hitting and defense at his alma mater, Oklahoma State. During his tenure there as an assistant, the Cowboys won one Big 12 Tournament championship in 2004, qualified for five NCAA Regionals, one Super Regional and a College World Series in 1999. He also oversaw talent evaluation, recruiting and office administration for the Cowboys.

His offenses have been known to hit for power and high averages. In his first year as head coach, the Nittany Lion offense hit nearly 50 points higher on the year than it had in 2004. Penn State hit .302 as a team in Wine's first season compared to just .255 in 2004 and five different PSU players hit over .300 that year. Penn State also drove in over 70 more runs in 2005 than in 2004 (286-213), pounded out 92 more hits (546-454) and scored 81 more runs (318-237).

In 2006, Penn State hit .289 as a team, with four different Nittany Lions hitting over .300 while five different Penn State players had slugging percentages above .400. During his fourth season, four more Penn State players hit over .300.

In 2008, Wine had three players hit over .300 with Brian Ernst leading the charge with a .358 average. Four starters had on-base percentages over .400 as Penn State drew 249 walks - 55 more than its opponents. The team mirrored the four-year average batting average, .292, under Wine.

In the aforementioned 2004 season, Wine's final year at Oklahoma State, the Cowboy offense hit .312 and smashed 48 home runs en route to its first Big 12 championship since the beginning of the Big 12 in the 1997 season. OSU finished with a 38-24 mark in 2004. Wine's offense led the Big 12 in home runs in 2003 with 77 while in 2000, the Cowboys were in the top three in the league in virtually every offensive category, including batting average, home runs, RBI, and runs scored.

In 1999, under Wine's tutelage, Oklahoma State finished third in the country in scoring at 10.39 runs per game and first in runs scored with 696 en route to the College World Series. OSU also finished third in the nation that year with 132 home runs and a .587 slugging percentage. In 1998, the Cowboys were 10th in the country in scoring with 9.52 runs per game. In 1997, his first year as an assistant coach in Stillwater, the Cowboys hit .333 as a team and tied for first in the country with a .620 slugging percentage. OSU also was second in the country with 149 home runs (2.29 per game), while averaging over 10 runs per game.

Prior to returning to Oklahoma State as a coach, Wine spent 15 years in the professional baseball ranks, eight as a player and six as a coach. He was the eighth overall pick in the first round of the 1983 Major League Baseball Amateur Draft, the second-highest pick in Oklahoma State history. Wine saw Major League action for the Houston Astros in parts of the 1986 and 1987 seasons. After his playing days were over, he spent 1991 as a hitting coach, third base coach, and defensive coach for the Miami Miracle of the Class A Florida State League. He worked for the Milwaukee Brewers from 1993-96 as part of their Major League coaching staff and as a roving catching instructor.

While playing at Oklahoma State, Wine was a two-time All-American catcher. Playing for the legendary baseball coach Gary Ward, Wine's teams made three appearances in the College World Series, including a second-place finish in 1981. He was inducted into the Oklahoma State Hall of Fame in 1993.

"I think he's had great relationships with his student-athletes," said Wine's former boss at Oklahoma State, Frank Anderson. "I think it's an outstanding opportunity for both him and the school. It's a positive move for Penn State and for Robbie. Not only is he a good coach, but he's a good person and part of a great family."

Wine is currently one of just 13 NCAA Division I coaches out of nearly 300 programs, that is a Major League Baseball alumnus. He played for the Houston Astros in parts of the 1986 and 1987 seasons.

Born July 13, 1962 in Philadelphia, Wine, the son of former Philadelphia Phillies shortstop Bobby Wine, graduated from Methacton High School in Fairview Village, Pa. HIs father, Bobby, has spent over 40 years in professional baseball and is currently an advanced scout for the Atlanta Braves.

While coaching at Oklahoma State following his professional career,Wine went back to school and earned his bachelor's degree in 2002. He resides in Boalsburg with his wife Shealynn, son Cory (22), who will be a senior on this year's team, and daughter Mackenzie (18).