PRAIRIE VIEW, Texas – Prairie View A&M baseball officially opened spring practice this week, marking the first on-field session of the Daniel Dulin era as the Panthers begin preparations for the 2026 season.

Dulin, who enters his first season as head coach, welcomed a roster that features a blend of experience and new faces, with 12 returners and 21 newcomers taking the field under the guidance of an entirely new coaching staff. Joining Dulin are assistant and pitching coach Shane Youman-Osuoha, assistant and hitting coach Toby Cornejo, assistant coaches Bryan Sturges and Isaac Davila, and director of operations Eric Norwood.

Despite brisk conditions and strong winds, the opening workout set a positive tone for the weeks ahead.

"I thought we had a good first day on the field," Dulin said. "Always an exciting time when it's the first day back out and you got some sunshine to go with it. I liked their effort, thought we had some good energy. I really liked that I heard some guys echoing some of the things that I've been talking about we need to do as a team."

The weather added an extra challenge, as a steady north wind made conditions less than ideal, particularly for hitters. Still, Dulin viewed it as a valuable early test.

"Yeah, it was sunny, but the wind was howling," he said. "On a day like that with strong winds out of the north, it makes for a tough day to hit. But like one of our seniors said at the beginning of practice, we're going to play in similar conditions at some point. So it was good to get some offensive work in that environment."

With nearly two-thirds of the roster made up of newcomers, developing chemistry will be an ongoing focus as practice continues.

"I've been asked that a few times, and I think with all teams, it takes time to develop," Dulin said. "Almost double the amount of new guys, and to be honest, only eight of those are guys that my staff signed late when I took over the job. So it's an interesting dynamic, again combined with an entirely new staff. It's a work in progress, but I think we are taking steps in the right direction."

The Panthers will be tested early by a challenging nonconference schedule designed to prepare them for the grind of SWAC play. Prairie View A&M opens the season Feb. 13 at the Civil Rights Classic at Trustmark Park in Pearl, Miss., an event hosted by Major League Baseball and the Players Alliance. The opening weekend features three games against SWAC opponents that will not count toward conference standings.

"I'm excited about our schedule," Dulin said. "We got a good noncon slate, in addition to the always tough conference weekends. We also got some cool weekends that will be great experiences for our players."

Prairie View A&M's home opener is set for Feb. 17 against Texas A&M–Victoria at Tankersley Field, a date Dulin and his staff have circled since arriving on campus.

"Obviously looking forward to that first home game," Dulin said. "As always, you want to protect your house, so definitely looking forward to seeing the Tank full that day for our home opener."

Before SWAC play begins, Dulin emphasized the importance of growth, discipline, and daily consistency.

"With all that said, we've got our work cut out for us prior to SWAC play," he said. "We've got a lot of growth and development as a team that needs to happen. It's all a process. Can we just be disciplined enough to do the simple things correctly, day after day? If we can do that, we will go into SWAC play ready to compete."

With practice underway and opening day fast approaching, the Panthers are laying the foundation for a new chapter, focused on energy, accountability, and steady progress under new leadership.