THE OFFICIAL ATHLETICS SITE OF THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH ALABAMA LIONS

With nearly two decades of collegiate coaching experience that includes two national championships as a head coach, Jad Prachniak was named as the new head baseball coach at the University of North Alabama on June 23, 2022. Prachniak enters his fourth season in 2026 with a record of 56-103-1 while at North Alabama. He holds an all-time coaching career record of 329-230-2 that spans across 12 seasons. 
 
After his first two seasons at the helm, the Lions exploded onto the scene during the 2025 season. Playing six SEC teams and three former National Championship teams -- while playing the 2025 National Champion in LSU -- Prachniak and Co. put out a 24-31 overall record with a 16-14 ASUN conference record. The 2025 season saw the highest wins in Division I history and the most wins in conference play -- enough to award them a birth to their first ASUN Tournament appearance in DeLand, Fla. where they secured their first postseason win over North Florida, 14-11. The team won seven series during the season, six coming through conference play.

Not only was the team impressive for Prachniak, he also oversaw key player milestones. Senior captain Jonathan Lane finished as fourth all-time in career hits and became the first ever Division I player to do so. Redshirt freshman Petey Craska tied the Division I doubles record and was named to the All-ASUN Third Team. Senior catcher Matthew Delgado broke the Division I single season caught stealing record while being named to the All-ASUN Second Team. Freshman closer Luke Davenport was named unanimously to the ASUN All-Freshman team; Craska was also award a spot on the All-Freshman team. All of these things accomplished, while the new Mike D. Lane Field was under construction and the Lions had to play the first 34 games away from Florence to begin the season. 

In his first season with the Lions in 2023, Prachniak helped lead the Lions to a 14-37 record. The Lions enjoyed four series victories, including three in ASUN Conference play. The Lions eight ASUN wins in 2023 mark the most conference wins since 2018, UNA's last season in Division II. He improved that mark in 2024 with an 18-35-1 record and a 10-19-1 mark in league play, setting new Division I highs in both overall and conference wins.

Prachniak spent the 2021 and 2022 seasons as associate head coach and recruiting coordinator at the University of Delaware. Prior to that, he spent nine seasons as the head coach at Division II West Chester, leading the Rams to two national championships. He began his full-time coaching career in 2005 and spent six seasons at William and Mary, finishing his time there as recruiting coordinator and pitching coach.
 
Prachniak is just the 11th head baseball coach in the 91-year history of the sport at UNA, and only the third head coach of the Lions in the last 40 seasons.
 
He is the second head coach at North Alabama during its Division I era, following Mike Keehn who retired following the 2022 season after guiding the Lions through their four-year transition to Division I.

"Adding yet another national champion to our head coaching ranks is a significant step forward for our baseball program and athletic department as a whole," said UNA Director of Athletics Dr. Josh Looney. "Jad blends a background of Division I recruiting and coaching experience, alongside a national championship head coaching resume, that will elevate our program into this new era of North Alabama Athletics. As this search process narrowed, we were able to focus on a competitive pool of finalists who built programs and won championships as head coaches. Jad rose to the top of that group and has risen through the coaching profession while carrying a first-class reputation among his peers.
 
"I saw Jad's 2017 national championship team compete first-hand as an opposing athletic director within the same conference, and I'm excited he's in our dugout this time around. He is a top-tier competitor with a history of leading teams that are talented, focused, consistent, and disciplined. Most importantly, Coach Prachniak and his teams are respected by the competition. He will write a new chapter of Lion Baseball that will make people connected to our program proud. Jad is well-suited for the road ahead as we build UNA baseball into a consistent and competitive ASUN contender."
 
"I'd like to thank Dr. Looney for giving me the opportunity to lead a program with such a strong tradition and bright future," said Prachniak at the time of his hire. "The University of North Alabama athletic department has a clear vision for sustained success and I'm looking forward to being a part of it. I was impressed with everything about UNA during my visit, beautiful campus, a welcoming community and genuine people. My family (wife Kelly, daughter Emilia) feel fortunate to be heading to such a special place. Roar Lions!"
 
"I'm very excited about Coach Prachniak being our next head coach at North Alabama," said former UNA All-American and 12-year Major League veteran Josh Willingham, who served as an advisor to the search committee. "His vision for our program, past success and knowledge of the game are some of the qualities that set him apart. There are great things ahead for our baseball program."
 
Prachniak compiled a career record of 273-127-1 (.682), while adding two NCAA Division II Regional crowns and three PSAC Eastern Division titles to his ledger. He is responsible for the program's first ever national championship in his first season in 2012 and won his second in 2017. He ranks second in all-time wins as a head coach at West Chester.
 
The Rams surpassed 30 wins in four of his final five seasons, including a 44-11 season in the national championship season of 2017. Prachniak became the youngest head coach ever to claim two national crowns on the Division II level. He helped four student-athletes earn draft selections, including Joey Wendle, an infielder for the New York Mets.
 
Prachniak was named the Division II Coach of the Year twice (2012 and 2017) and helped four of his players receive Eastern Division Player of the Year and two Pitchers of the Year.
 
Prior to West Chester, Prachniak served as the pitching coach and recruiting coordinator for William & Mary. With the Tribe, he helped four pitchers get drafted and had one named the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) Co-Pitcher of the Year in 2011 under his tutelage.
 
Prachniak is originally from Lincoln, R.I., and graduated from the University of Rhode Island in 2005 with a bachelor's degree in kinesiology and a teaching certificate in physical education. As a player, he served as a co-captain for Rhode Island's school-record 35-win season in 2005, capturing the Atlantic 10 Eastern Division title.
 
He and his wife, Kelly, have a daughter, Emilia.