Keiser Seahawks

{{Short description|Athletics team for Keiser University in West Palm Beach, Florida}} {{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}} {{Infobox school athletics | name = Keiser Seahawks | logo = Keiser_Seahawks_logo.png | logo_width = 200 | university = Keiser University | association = NAIA | conference = The Sun (primary) | director = Kris Swogger | location = West Palm Beach, Florida | first season = | teams = 24 | mens_teams = 11 | womens_teams = 11 | coed_teams = 2 | stadium = Keiser Multi-Purpose Field | basketballarena = Massimino Court | baseballfield = Silvester Field | softballstadium = Alumni Field | soccerstadium = Arrigo-Vecellio Field | natatorium = Lake Lytal Aquatic Center | lacrossestadium = Keiser Multi-Purpose Field | tenniscourt = Patch Reef Park | mascot = | nickname = Seahawks | color1 = Navy Blue | color2 = Sky Blue | color3 = | hex1 = 000080 | hex2 = 87ceeb | hex3 = | pageurl = https://kuseahawks.com/index.aspx | altlogo = 200px }}

The '''Keiser Seahawks''' are the athletic teams that represent Keiser University, located in West Palm Beach, Florida, in intercollegiate sports as a member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA),<ref>{{cite web|title=Schools|url=http://www.naia.org/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=27900&ATCLID=205322922|website=NAIA.ORG|publisher=NAIA|access-date=11 November 2015}}</ref> primarily competing in the Sun Conference since the 2015–16 academic year.<ref>{{cite web|title=Members|url=http://thesunconference.com/sports/2012/7/2/members.aspx|website=Thesunconference.com|access-date=11 November 2015}}</ref> Prior to July 2015, the Seahawks represented Northwood University's West Palm Beach campus.<ref>Bandell, Brian. (Mar 15, 2015). [https://www.bizjournals.com/southflorida/news/2015/03/18/keiser-university-to-take-over-northwood.html#:~:text=Northwood%20University%20is%20handing%20its,and%20the%2017th%20in%20Florida. Keiser University to take over Northwood University's West Palm Beach campus]. ''South Florida Business Journal''. Retrieved Sep 9, 2020.</ref>

==Varsity teams== Keiser competes in 24 intercollegiate varsity sports:

{| class="wikitable"; style= "text-align: " ! width= 150px style="{{CollegePrimaryStyle|Keiser Seahawks|border=1|color= white }}"| Men's sports ! width= 150px style="{{CollegePrimaryStyle|Keiser Seahawks|border=1|color= white }}"| Women's sports |- | Baseball || Basketball |- | Basketball || Cross country |- | Cross country || Flag football |- | Football || Golf |- | Golf || Lacrosse |- | Lacrosse || Soccer |- | Soccer || Softball |- | Swimming || Swimming |- | Tennis || Tennis |- | Track and field{{sup|1}} || Track and field{{sup|1}} |- | Wrestling || Volleyball |- ! colspan=2 style="{{CollegePrimaryStyle|Keiser Seahawks|border=1|color= white }}"| Co-ed sports |- | colspan=2| {{center|Esports}} |- | colspan=2| {{center|Cheer and dance}} |- | colspan=2 style="{{CollegeSecondaryStyle|Keiser Seahawks|border=1|color= white}}"| {{small|{{sup|1}} – includes both indoor and outdoor}} |}

===Basketball=== Basketball was started in the 2006–2007 season, after the hiring of Rollie Massimino in 2005, as Director of Basketball Operations for both men's and women's basketball.<ref name="PBP20050323">{{cite news |last1=Nelson |first1=Marcus |title=Northwood talks with Massimino |publisher=Palm Beach Post |date=March 23, 2005 |location=West Palm Beach, Florida |pages=1C,10C |language=en}}</ref> Per ESPN, on December 14, 2016, Massimino, Keiser University's men's basketball coach, became the third active coach to achieve 800 career wins and the ninth coach overall. Massimino was 82 years old at the time.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/18282288|title=Ex-Nova coach Massimino joins elite 800-win club|date=December 15, 2016|website=ESPN.com}}</ref>

===Football=== {{main|Keiser Seahawks football}} In 2016, Keiser announced its plan to add football to its slate of varsity athletic programs, with the team beginning play in the 2018 season.<ref name=VSN10112016>{{cite web | title=Keiser Adds Football Program | url=http://www.victorysportsnetwork.com/Clip/news/keiser-adds-football-program.htm | publisher= Victory Sports Network | date=October 11, 2016 | access-date=October 14, 2016}}</ref> In 2021, the Seahawks football team advanced to the NAIA quarterfinals for the second straight year.<ref>[https://kuseahawks.com/news/2022/7/25/no-7-football-football-picked-as-favorite-to-win-2022-sun-conference-title.aspx Football Picked as Favorite to win 2022 Sun Conference Title]. ''kuseahawks.com''. Retrieved September 19, 2022.</ref> In 2023, the Seahawks football team won its first NAIA Football National Championship, defeating Northwestern College 31–21.<ref>Shields, Malcom. (December 18, 2023). [https://www.wpbf.com/article/florida-keiser-northwestern-naia-football-championship-series-national-championship-2023/46166915# Keiser football defeats Northwestern College in 2023 NAIA National Championship game]. ''wpbf.com''. Retrieved December 27, 2023.</ref>

===Golf=== The Seahawks Women's golf team have won four NAIA Women's Golf National Championships (2003, 2015, 2016, 2021). In 2022, the Seahawks Men's golf team won their first NAIA Men's Golf National Championship, while also having their first individual golf national champion.<ref>(May 20, 2022). [https://www.naia.org/sports/mgolf/2021-22/Releases/DayFour Keiser Claims First Team and Individual National Titles]. ''NAIA''. Retrieved September 19, 2022.</ref>

===Soccer=== Both the Seahawks Men's and Women's soccer teams have won national championships. The Women's soccer team won back-to-back national championships in 2019 and 2020. The Men's soccer team collected its first national championship in 2021.<ref>(December 6, 2021). [https://www.naia.org/sports/msoc/2021-22/Releases/NC_Final 2021 NAIA Men's Soccer National Championship]. ''NAIA''. Retrieved September 19, 2022.</ref>

===Swimming=== The Keiser Men's Swim team won the NAIA Men's Swimming National Championship three consecutive years in 2018, 2019, and 2020.<ref>[https://www.palmbeachpost.com/story/sports/high-school/swimming-diving/2020/03/08/keiser-university-wins-third-straight-national-swimming-championship/112244034/ Keiser University wins third straight national swimming championship]. ''The Palm Beach Post''. Retrieved September 19, 2022.</ref> With the 2021 championships canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, they would follow up by winning their fourth straight national title in 2022.<ref>[https://kuseahawks.com/news/2022/3/5/no-1-mens-swimming-claims-fourth-straight-naia-national-championship.aspx No. 1 Men's Swimming Claims Fourth Straight NAIA National Championship]. ''kuseahawks.com''. Retrieved September 19, 2022.</ref> In 2022, the Keiser Women's Swim team won their first NAIA Women's Swimming National Championship.<ref>[https://www.naia.org/sports/wswimdive/2021-22/Releases/Day_4 Keiser (Fla.) Win First Women’s Swimming & Diving Red Banner]. ''NAIA''. Retrieved September 19, 2022.</ref>

===Wrestling=== The 2019–20 season marked the inaugural year of the Keiser men's wrestling team. Keiser, along with Southeastern University and St. Thomas University, are the only current institutions that sponsor scholarship wrestling programs in Florida.<ref name="Start Wrestling">{{cite web |last1=Palmer |first1=Mark |title=Keiser University to add wrestling, hires coach |url=https://intermatwrestle.com/articles/19840 |access-date=12 December 2018 |date=5 March 2018 |archive-date=September 11, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190911114821/http://intermatwrestle.com/articles/19840 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name="Bertolone">{{cite web |title=Bertolone Tabbed To Lead Inaugural Keiser Wrestling Program In 2019 |url=https://www.victorysportsnetwork.com/Clip/news/bertolone-tabbed-to-lead-inaugural-keiser-wrestling-program-in-2019.htm |access-date=12 December 2018}}</ref>

=== Cheer and Dance === The Keiser Cheer and Dance team made their inaugural appearance at the 2025 NCA & NDA Collegiate Cheer and Dance Championship, held April 10–12 at the Ocean Center in Daytona Beach, Florida.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Cannizzaro |first=Matt |date=2025-04-11 |title=NCA College Nationals 2025 Day 2 Schedule In Daytona |url=https://tv.varsity.com/articles/14051499-nca-college-nationals-2025-day-2-schedule-in-daytona |access-date=2025-06-10 |website=Varsity TV |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Cannizzaro |first=Matt |date=2025-04-12 |title=NCA College Nationals 2025 Day 3 Schedule |url=https://tv.varsity.com/articles/14051583-nca-college-nationals-2025-day-3-schedule |access-date=2025-06-10 |website=Varsity TV |language=en}}</ref>

This marked the first time Keiser competed at the national level in both competitive cheer and competitive dance collegiate events. During their debut, the Seahawks achieved a runner-up (2nd place) finish in their division.<ref>{{Cite AV media |url=https://tv.varsity.com/video/14070869-keiser-university-2025-game-day-naia-finals-2025-nca-nda-college-nationals |title=Keiser University [2025 Game Day NAIA Finals] 2025 NCA & NDA College Nationals |date=April 11, 2025 |language=en |access-date=2025-06-10 |via=tv.varsity.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=NCA & NDA College Nationals 2025 |url=https://cheertheory.com/competitions/nca-nda-college-nationals-2025/ |access-date=2025-06-10 |website=Cheer Theory |language=en-US}}</ref>

==Championships==

===NAIA team championships=== The Seahawks have won 26 NAIA team national championships.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://kuseahawks.com/sports/2020/9/24/new-national-champ.aspx |title=National Championships |publisher=Keiser University Athletics |accessdate=May 23, 2021}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable sortable"; style= "text-align: " ! width= 0px style="{{CollegePrimaryStyle|Keiser Seahawks|border=1|color= white }}"| Sport / team ! width= 0px style="{{CollegePrimaryStyle|Keiser Seahawks|border=1|color= white }}"| Competition ! width= 0px style="{{CollegePrimaryStyle|Keiser Seahawks|border=1|color= white }}"| Titles ! width= 0px style="{{CollegePrimaryStyle|Keiser Seahawks|border=1|color= white }}"| Winning years |- | Football || National championship || {{center|1}} || 2023 |- | Golf (men's) || National championship ||{{center|1}}|| 2022 |- | Golf (women's) || National championship || {{center|5}} || 2003,{{efn|group=Keiser|name=NWFL|Championship won when team competed as Northwood University–Florida}} 2015,{{efn|group=Keiser|name=NWFL}} 2016, 2021, 2024 |- | Lacrosse (men's) || National championship ||{{center|3}}|| 2023, 2024, 2025 |- | Lacrosse (women's) || National championship || {{center|1}} || 2021 |- | Soccer (men's) || National championship ||{{center|1}} || 2021 |- | Soccer (women's) || National championship||{{center|2}} || 2019, 2020 |- | Swimming (men's) || National championship || {{center|6}} || 2018, 2019, 2020, 2022, 2023, 2025 |- | Swimming (women's) || National championship ||{{center|4}} || 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025 |- | Tennis (men's) || National championship ||{{center|1}} || 2025 |- | Tennis (women's) || National championship ||{{center|1}} ||2003{{efn|group=Keiser|name=NWFL}} |}

;Notes: {{notelist|group=Keiser}}

===NACDA Directors' Cup=== {{main|NACDA Directors' Cup}}

The Seahawks won the NACDA Directors' Cup for being the NAIA's highest performing overall athletic program for the 2020–21 season.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Keiser Captures First NAIA Learfield IMG College Directors' Cup|url=https://nacda.com/news/2021/7/2/final-2020-21-naia-learfield-img-college-directors-cup-standings.aspx|access-date=2021-07-03|website=National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics|date=2 July 2021 |language=en}}</ref>

==Club sports== * Equestrian * Fishing * Golf

==Notable athletes and coaches== {{div col|colwidth=30em}} * Nick Akoto, American professional soccer player * Dante Calabria, men's basketball head coach from 2017–2018 * Noah Curtis, CFL defensive lineman * Evan Finnegan, Irish soccer player who played as an attacking full−back * Maja Henriksson, Swedish professional soccer player * Brianna Hernandez-Silva, flag football player for United States women's national team * Ashlea Klam, flag football player for United States women's national team * Lisa Lilja, Swedish sprinter, specializing in the 200 metres and 400 metres * Rollie Massimino, men's basketball head coach from 2006–2017<ref>{{cite news|title=Northwood no more: Seahawks now play for Keiser University |url=http://www.cbs12.com/sports/stories/vid_1703.shtml |access-date=27 October 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150905115229/http://www.cbs12.com/sports/stories/vid_1703.shtml |archive-date= 5 September 2015 }}</ref> * Aaron Molloy, Irish professional soccer player * Thobias Montler, Swedish long jumper, won silver medal at the 2022 World Indoor Championships * Doug Socha, football head coach 2017–2023 * Shea Spencer, football quartback 2019–2025, program's all-time leader in career passing yards and passing touchdowns * Stanley Whittaker, American professional basketball player * Stefan Zečević, Serbian professional basketball player {{div col end}}

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== * {{Official website}}

Category:Keiser Seahawks