University of Texas at Dallas Athletics

Grant Freels joined the UT Dallas baseball staff as an assistant coach in October 2025.

In his first season, Freels helped the Comets to a 33-17 record, finishing fourth in the Lone Star Conference. UTD received votes in the national polls and led the LSC in batting average, on-base percentage, fewest hits allowed and fielding percentage. The Comets also broke the school record in walks, hits by pitch, sacrifice flies and fielding percentage.Freels coached the three All-Region selections, the LSC Newcomer of the Year, seven All-LSC picks, three LSC All-Defensive honorees and two on the LSC All-Academic team.

Freels previously spent six seasons at Panola College in Carthage, Texas, where he compiled 155 wins as an assistant coach from 2017-23. While with the Ponies, he coached two conference Player of the Year winners, one Pitcher of the Year, one All-American, more than 30 all-conference selections, more than 50 NCAA Division I signees and more than 100 four-year collegiate players. Freels also guided five former players who reached Triple-A or Double-A level of Minor League Baseball.

As a player, Freels spent two seasons as a left-handed pitcher at Tyler Junior College, where he helped the Apaches to the 2014 NJCAA National Championship. He then transitioned into coaching as a student assistant at Texas A&M University in College Station, where he spent three seasons with the Aggies' staff and was part of three NCAA Super Regionals and one College World Series appearance. 

Freels earned his associate's degree from TJC and went on to receive a B.S. in Sports Management from TAMU in 2017.