Prairie View A & M University Athletics

Prairie View A&M competes in NCAA Division I, the highest level of college athletics with full scholarships and major conference play. The Panthers field 18 varsity sports with 417 total athletes, meaning about 5% of the 8,527 students participate in varsity athletics. The university awards $3.2 million in athletic scholarships annually. Prairie View competes in the Southwestern Athletic Conference alongside other historically black universities. The Panthers have a heated rivalry with Texas Southern University, their fellow HBCU competitor in Houston. Prairie View's football program has experienced periods of both struggle and success, including a memorable stretch in the 1960s when they dominated SWAC play. The athletic programs serve as a source of pride and community connection for this rural campus, bringing alumni back for homecoming and maintaining traditions that span generations.