STATE COLLEGE, Pa., May 22, 2000 -- The last time the Penn State baseball team was invited to the NCAA Tournament, none of the current Nittany Lions had yet to be born.

All that changed today as Penn State (41-16) received an at-large bid to its first NCAA Tournament since 1976. The Nittany Lions are the No. 3 seed in the four-team regional at Upper Montclair, N.J., hosted by Rutgers at Yogi Berra Park at Montclair State University. Penn State will play No. 2 seed North Carolina (44-15) on Friday, May 26 at 7:30 p.m. (the game time has been changed from 4 p.m. as announced earlier). The Tar Heels were ranked No. 13 in last week's USA Today/ABCA poll. The other match-up in Upper Montclair has No. 1 seed Rutgers (39-16) facing No. 4 seed Army (24-18-1) at 3:30 p.m. in the double elimination tournament, which will continue Saturday and Sunday, if necessary. Game times on Saturday are 12:00, 4:00 and 7:30 and Sunday at 1:00 and 4:00 (if necessary).

For ticket information, call the Rutgers Athletic Ticket Office, 732-445-2766.

"I'm very pleased for our players," said a happy Coach Joe Hindelang, who has led Penn State to a school record 41 victories. "I think it's wonderful considering the way we played all year and in the Big Ten Tournament. It's wonderful that we're going to New Jersey, so that more parents, fans and alumni can attend."

The winners of each of the 16 regionals advance to the two-team NCAA Super Regionals June 2-4. The winner of the Upper Montclair regional will face the winner of the regional being hosted by Arizona State, which is the No. 7 overall seed. The eight Super Regional victors move on to the College World Series in Omaha, Neb., June 9-17.

Penn State and North Carolina met Feb. 12-13 in the Lions' season opening series in Chapel Hill, N.C., with the 'Heels winning 21-10 and 3-2 in 10 innings. UNC freshman pitcher Matt Tanner is from State College.

Penn State is making its 19th appearance in the 54 years of the NCAA Baseball Championship. The Lions' first appearance came in 1949 and Penn State was a regular in the event over the next 27 years, including consecutive bids from 1970-76. The Lions have made five visits to the College World Series, most recently in 1973, finishing second in 1957. Penn State's overall record in NCAA play is 29-31.

The 2000 season has seen Penn State shatter its previous season wins mark, which was 32, set in 1985 and equaled in 1996 and 1999. The Nittany Lions have ranked among the nation's best hitting teams all season, leading the nation in batting the last three weeks, coming in with a .358 average in the most recent NCAA rankings. The Lions also are 13th nationally in runs, averaging 8.9 per game, in the latest NCAA figures.

Penn State finished the regular season with a 38-14 record, including 18-9 in Big Ten play, good for second place. At last weekend's Big Ten Tournament, the Lions lost in the championship game to Illinois, 5-3 on Sunday, but beat the Illini and top-seeded and host Minnesota en route to the league title game.

Three Nittany Lions on the travel roster hail from New Jersey: Big Ten Player of the Year Michael Campo (OF, Absecon); OF/INF Zack Smithlin (Fair Lawn) and P Scott Russo (Turnersville).

In his 10th season in Happy Valley, Hindelang is second is school history with 276 career wins. He has a 276-236-2 mark and will be taking his second school to the NCAA Tournament. In 1990, he guided Lafayette to the tournament after, ironically, a 24-year drought.

The team is bussing from Minneapolis and is expected to return to State College Tuesday afternoon.

The baseball team becomes the 18th Penn State program to have its team or individuals compete in their respective NCAA Championship this academic year.