Now as Ball State's quarterbacks coach, Baldwin wants his players to understand the meaning of winning big games.

That is why he is one of 51 former Ball State football players to sponsor one of 115 lockers in the new athletic training facility at the stadium. Each player has a plaque above a particular locker honoring the gift.

"Being a former player and an alumnus, I know it is important to upgrade the athletic facilities," said Baldwin, who graduated in 1996 and played in that year's Las Vegas Bowl. "To have your name above a locker shows that you care about the program."

Former players representing nearly every decade from the 1920s to today have made a gift or pledge of $1,000 over a five-year period to help fund the training facility, which must be paid for from private gifts to the university.

Some of Baldwin's teammates have also sponsored lockers, including current Chicago Bears punter Brad Maynard, '97, and Blaine Bishop, '93, an all-pro defensive back with the Tennessee Titans.

The new training facility has elevated the program's status in the eyes of recruits, who are often astounded by the amenities, ranging from the spacious lockers to the weight room.

"It does have a ‘wow' factor for the recruits we bring in," Baldwin said. "Each player can easily envision suiting up in the new lockerroom. It makes them feel very special.

"I think it is second to none in the Mid-American Conference," he said. "Everyone in the conference is improving their facilities and I think this is crucial to keep the program at a championship level."

By Marc Ransford, Media Relations Manager