Southeastern Fire

Southeastern Fire
University Southeastern University
Association NAIA
Conference The Sun Conference
Mid-South Conference
Athletic director Drew Watson
Location Lakeland, Florida
Football stadium Victory Field
Basketball arena The Furnace
Baseball stadium Ted A. Broer Stadium
Mascot Scorch[1]
Nickname Fire
Colors Red and Black
         
Website fire.seu.edu

The Southeastern Fire are the athletic teams for Southeastern University in Lakeland, Florida. The university is a member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), primarily competing in The Sun Conference, formerly known as the Florida Sun Conference (FSC). The Fire are associate members of the National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA) after competing in both Division II and, more recently, Division I.[2] In the spring of 2016, the Fire joined the Mid-South Conference for football.[3] Southeastern University has won NCCAA Division II championships in all four men's sports and a NCCAA Division I championship in men's golf. In 2014, Senior Dwayne Johnson was named an NAIA All-American after leading the fire to the final four of the NAIA Division II basketball championship in Point Lookout, Missouri, while Junior Timothy Mitchell was named to the second team.[4] Johnson signed a professional contract with the Liepajas Lauvas of Latvia,[5] while senior Mitchell Wiggins Jr was one of seven players drafted by the Harlem Globetrotters.[6] The university added women's softball, men's tennis, and men's & women's cross country in 2012. Southeastern currently competes in seven men's and seven women's sports, after the addition of football in the 2014-15 academic year. The addition of men's wrestling, the first collegiate program in the state, is planned for the 2015-16 academic year[7]

The team mascot was Maniac until 2014, when a new mascot, Scorch, was introduced along with the unveiling of the new football stadium.[8]

Achievements

Men's baseball

In 2018, the baseball team, coached by Adrian Dinkel, had a 50-5 regular season record, and were ranked fourth in the NAIA. After an early exit from The Sun Conference tournament, they swept the Kingsport Opening Round bracket. They then swept five games in the NAIA World Series in Lewiston, ID, winning the national championship in their first trip to the tournament. OF Manuel Mesa won the tournament Most Valuable Player and Charles Berry Hustle awards.

Men's basketball

In 2014, the men's basketball team reached the final four of the 2014 NAIA Division II Men's Basketball Tournament, in which they defeated top seeded Cardinal Stritch behind a perfect shooting night from Jake Hodges.[9] Point guard Dwayne Johnson was named to the all-America team.[10] Center Timothy Mitchell was named to the all-tournament team, while reserve Mitchell Wiggins Jr. was selected to participate in the NAIA dunk contest and was drafted by the Harlem Globetrotters.[11]

In 2018, the team qualified for the national tournament by winning The Sun Conference tournament, defeating Keiser University 87-80 in overtime.[12]

Men's golf

In 2007, the men's golf team won the NCCAA National Championship.[13]

Men's football

In 2015, in their second season, the football team won the Sun Conference Championship retroactively after Edward Waters was forced to forfeit a game.[14] In 2016, the team was able to represent the conference in the NAIA national championship tournament after completing the season with an undefeated conference record.[15] Running back Jarrell Reynolds was named the conference player of the year.[16]

In 2017, the football team won the Mid-South Conference Sun Division title and the opportunity to play in the postseason.[17]

Men's soccer

In 2006, the men's soccer team won the NCCAA DII National Championship and coach Drew Stacey was named NCCAA coach of the year.[18] In 2015, the men's soccer team won The Sun Conference championship. Freshman Jake van der Luit was named the tournament mvp.[19]

Women's basketball

In 2017, the Fire went undefeated in the regular season.[20] After winning 28 straight games, the Sun Conference regular season championship, and the Sun Conference tournament championship, they continued to the NAIA national tournament. They earned the first Sun Conference women's basketball first ever playoff victory,[21] and went to the final four. Senior Bailey Hooker was named first-team All-American, and senior Christin Strawbridge was named second-team All-American.[22]

In 2018, the team stretched their regular-season winning streak to 58 straight games and achieved the school's first ever NAIA #1 ranking in any sport.[23] They completed the 2018 regular season undefeated and won the conference tournament for the third straight year, earning the overall top seed in the national tournament.[24][25]

Professional players

Several Fire players have continued their athletic careers professionally, including Dee Gordon Second baseman for the Seattle Mariners. He previously played shortstop for the Los Angeles Dodgers and second base for the Miami Marlins in Major League Baseball.

Many basketball players have gone on to play professionally, including Ali Hosni (2013), Jacob Blankenship[26] (2012), Povilas Gaidys (2012), Amir Royal (2013),[27] Malcolm Pollock (2013),[28] Dwayne Johnson (2014),[29] and Tim Mitchell (2015) [30]

Justin Michel plays soccer for the Bonaire national football team. Gerritson Craane has played for the Curaçao national football team.[31]

References

  1. ↑ Beasock, Ray (23 August 2014). "Say Goodbye to Maniac, Hello to Scorch". Retrieved 12 September 2015.
  2. ↑ "NCCAA Division I". Retrieved 6 May 2010.
  3. ↑ Wilson, Michael (25 February 2016). "Local teams officially join Mid-South football conference". The Lakeland Ledger. Retrieved 27 February 2016.
  4. ↑ "NAIA Division II Men's Basketball All-Star Team Announced". National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics. Retrieved 21 March 2014.
  5. ↑ "SEU's Johnson Signs Pro Basketball Contract". victorysportsnetwork.com. Victory Sports Network. 4 June 2014. Retrieved 26 June 2014.
  6. ↑ "Harlem Globetrotters draft Johnny Manziel, Landon Donovan". The Orlando Sentinel. 24 June 2014. Retrieved 26 June 2014.
  7. ↑ Milligan, Del (September 24, 2012). "Southeastern Unveils Initiative to Build 5,000-Seat Football Stadium". The Ledger. Retrieved January 27, 2013.
  8. ↑ Beasock, Ray (23 August 2014). "Say Goodbye to Maniac, Hello to Scorch". Retrieved 10 November 2015.
  9. ↑ "Southeastern vs Cardinal Stritch". NAIA. Retrieved 24 March 2014.
  10. ↑ http://www.naia.org/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=27900&ATCLID=209438886
  11. ↑ "HARLEM GLOBETROTTERS SELECT COLLEGE SLAM DUNK CHAMPS, 7-FOOT-5 SIM BHULLAR AND SOCCER SUPERSTAR LANDON DONOVAN IN 2014 PLAYER DRAFT".
  12. ↑ "Southeastern Men's Basketball Claims First TSC Title with Overtime Win". 28 February 2018. Retrieved 2 March 2018.
  13. ↑ "Men's Golf National Champions" (PDF). Retrieved 12 November 2015.
  14. ↑ Fouts, B.Lynn (26 October 2016). "VSN's Game of the Week for October 29". Retrieved 9 January 2017.
  15. ↑ Smith, Donnie. "FOOTBALL EARNS FIRST PLAYOFF BERTH". Retrieved 9 January 2017.
  16. ↑ "Southeastern has 14 players named to All-Sun Conference". 18 November 2016. Retrieved 9 January 2017.
  17. ↑ Long, Ryan (12 November 2017). "Four Mid-South Teams selected in the NAIA Football Playoff Championship Series". Retrieved 14 November 2017.
  18. ↑ "MEN'S SOCCER DIVISION II CHAMPIONS" (PDF). Retrieved 12 November 2015.
  19. ↑ Pierre, Ducharme (9 November 2015). "Southeastern wins first title in school history". The Lakeland Ledger. Retrieved 11 November 2015.
  20. ↑ "No. 2 Southeastern Remains Unbeaten". 9 March 2017. Retrieved 15 November 2017.
  21. ↑ http://thesunconference.com/news/2017/2/25/WBBALL_0225170101.aspx?path=wbball
  22. ↑ "2016-17 NAIA Division II Women's Basketball All-Americans Announced". 16 March 2017. Retrieved 15 November 2017.
  23. ↑ Fredericksen, Brady (6 February 2018). "SEU women ranked No. 1 in the NAIA basketball poll". Retrieved 7 February 2018.
  24. ↑ Flemming, Jed. "2018 NAIA Division II Women's Basketball National Championship Qualifiers & Bracket Announced". Retrieved 2 March 2018.
  25. ↑ Fredericksen, Brady (28 February 2018). "Southeastern women net top overall seed in NAIA Tournament". Retrieved 2 March 2018.
  26. ↑ A1Basket.gr Peristeri signed Jacob Blankenship
  27. ↑ "Southeastern University ex players". Retrieved 11 November 2015.
  28. ↑ "Malcolm Pollock Basketball Profile". Latin Basket. Retrieved 11 November 2015.
  29. ↑ "Dwayne Johnson". FIBA. Retrieved 11 November 2015.
  30. ↑ Fredericksen, Brady (30 May 2015). "Pro Deal a Dream Realized for Fire Star". The Lakeland Ledger. Retrieved 22 October 2015.
  31. ↑ "National Football Teams". Retrieved 9 January 2017.

Coordinates: 28°01′43″N 81°55′02″W / 28.0286214°N 81.9173312°W / 28.0286214; -81.9173312

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