PRAIRIE VIEW – The defending Southwestern Athletic Conference Champions will open the 2023 season locked and loaded with talent, experience, and expectations. The Prairie View A&M softball team will participate in the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) D1 Leadoff Classic in Clearwater, Fla., February 10-12.
Nine months ago, the Lady Panthers ended their fairy tale story that concluded at the NCAA Norman Regionals on May 21, 2022. Now that the 2023 campaign has arrived, the charge towards the program's back-to-back Southwestern Athletic Conference championship opens on the first day of the NFCA against Indiana on Friday, February 10 for a 1:30 p.m. first pitch. The team will return to the diamond for a 4 p.m. tilt with Pitt.
The weekend will continue with a doubleheader against Fordham at 11 a.m. and Howard at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday. The team will finish with a bout on Sunday versus Missouri at 12:30 p.m.
Prairie View A&M will return to Texas for a midweek competition in Stephenville against Tarleton State on Wednesday, February 15, before opening at home with Sam Houston State on Tuesday the 21st. PVAMU will close out the month of February with a doubleheader at Incarnate Word on the 25th and a home contest against Jarvis Christian on Monday, the 27th.
The months of March and April are always the thick of the schedule. On March 7th the Lady Panthers will travel to Corpus Christi to take on Texas A&M Corpus Christi (TAMCC), before opening conference play on March 10 at home against Southern. The team will travel over to Nacogdoches, Texas to face Stephen F. Austin for doubleheader action on March 14th. PVAMU will get back to conference play when they travel across 290 to take on Texas Southern for a weekend of play from March 17th-18th.
TAMCC will return a home-and-home contest on March 22nd for doubleheader play at the PVAMU Softball Stadium. The next four games will consist of SWAC play at Grambling on March 24th -25th, a home contest versus Houston Christian on March 28th, and another Southwestern Athletic Conference contest at home against Alcorn State on March 31st.
The month of April will continue with a doubleheader versus Alcorn on the 1st, before hosting Huston Tillotson for a twin bill on April 4th. The Lady Panthers will get back on the road to play UAPB Friday and Saturday, April 7th and 8th. PVAMU will host the Cardinals of Incarnate Word on April 12th for a midweek doubleheader contest.
The Lady Panthers will host their next six contests at home against Grambling State April 14th-15th, before hosting TSU April 21st – 22nd. On April 25th Prairie View A&M will face Texas A&M in College Station. The regular season concludes as the Lady Panthers head to Southern for three games from April 28th -29th, before hosting Stephen F. Austin on May 3rd.
The SWAC Softball Championship returns to Gulfport, Miss., for another season at Gulfport Sportsplex starting May 9th.
All events at the Lady Panther Softball Field are free to the public.
Prairie View A&M returns multiple key contributors from last season. However, an area that bears watching will be within the circle, arguably the Lady Panthers will return one of the top pitchers in the conference in Cailin Massey, but the depth of the pitching staff remains to be seen. Although Hailey Elizarrares and Jerrica Rojas as well as the promising transfer Breanna Reyna, make up the hurling staff, Bland expects the squad to be in good shape.
The Lady Panthers have been particularly impressive in the batter's box and stand to help flesh out an offensive lineup that features sluggers Biviana Figueroa, Audrey Garcia, and Jaylyn Davis. PVAMU potentially has a stout defensive unit in Taliya Talley, Destinee Smith, and Brandi Juarez.
Keep up with all the latest news and information for PVAMU athletics by following pvpanthers.com as well as through Twitter via the PVAMU general sports account (@PVAMUPanthers). You can also follow along on Instagram.com/pvamupanthers.
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