
The Southeastern Fire are the athletic teams representing Southeastern University in Lakeland, Florida. The men's basketball team at Southeastern University competes in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) and primarily plays in the Sun Conference. In 2014, the men's basketball team reached the final four of the NAIA Division II men's basketball tournament, where they defeated the top-seeded Cardinal Stritch, with Jake Hodges shooting perfectly. Dwayne Johnson, the point guard, was named to the all-America team, while Timothy Mitchell, the centre, was named to the all-tournament team.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name of the team | Southeastern Fire |
| University | Southeastern University |
| Location | Lakeland, Florida |
| Association | National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) |
| Conference | The Sun Conference (formerly known as the Florida Sun Conference) |
| Division | Division II |
| Head Coach | Hudson Welty |
| Assistant Coach | Tyler Savage |
| Achievements | Reached the final four of the 2014 NAIA Division II men's basketball tournament |
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What You'll Learn

Southeastern University is in Lakeland, Florida
Southeastern University is located in Lakeland, Florida. The university was previously known as South-Eastern Bible College and was located in Atlanta before purchasing a new campus in Lakeland, Florida, in 2005. The Atlanta campus was sold, and the new central Florida location fostered continued growth in student body numbers and academic programs.
Southeastern University offers a wide range of degree programs, including associate, bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees. The university offers over 115 degree programs, with 55 bachelor's degrees, 16 master's degrees, and two doctoral degrees available.
The university's athletic teams are called the Southeastern Fire, and they compete in 19 intercollegiate varsity sports as a member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). The Fire primarily competes in the Sun Conference, previously known as the Florida Sun Conference (FSC). The men's basketball team has enjoyed success, reaching the final four of the 2014 NAIA Division II men's basketball tournament. In this tournament, they defeated the top-seeded Cardinal Stritch, with Jake Hodges shooting a perfect game. Point guard Dwayne Johnson was named to the all-America team, and center Timothy Mitchell was named to the all-tournament team.
Southeastern University's Lakeland campus also hosts the Forum at SEU, an annual event that provides actionable leadership training to students. The university is led by President Dr. Kent Ingle, who is passionate about educating and preparing students for Christ-centered leadership and service.
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The team name is the Southeastern Fire
Southeastern University is a member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) and primarily competes in the Sun Conference (formerly the Florida Sun Conference). Previously, the university was a member of the National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA), competing as an independent in the South Region of Division II and Division I levels. In the 2008-09 school year, the Fire competed as an NAIA Independent within the Association of Independent Institutions (AII).
The men's basketball team at Southeastern University has had notable success, reaching the final four of the 2014 NAIA Division II men's basketball tournament. Point guard Dwayne Johnson was named to the all-America team, while center Timothy Mitchell was selected for the all-tournament team. The university's basketball program offers scholarship opportunities for student-athletes, with resources available through the NCSA to enhance recruitment chances.
The Fire football team won the Mid-South Conference Sun Division title in 2017, and the men's soccer team won the NCCAA DII National Championship in 2006 and The Sun Conference championship in 2015. The men's golf team also won the NCCAA National Championship in 2007. Several Southeastern Fire athletes have gone on to professional careers, including MLB players Dee Gordon and Marvin Malone, as well as basketball players Ali Hosni, Jacob Blankenship, and Dwayne Johnson, among others.
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They compete in the Sun Conference
The Southeastern Fire are the athletic teams representing Southeastern University in Lakeland, Florida. They compete in 19 intercollegiate varsity sports, primarily in the Sun Conference (formerly the Florida Sun Conference). The university's basketball team competes in the Sun Conference, previously competing as a member of the National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA).
Southeastern University's basketball team has seen success in the Sun Conference. In 2014, the men's basketball team reached the final four of the NAIA Division II men's basketball tournament. They defeated the top-seeded Cardinal Stritch, with Jake Hodges having a perfect shooting night. Point guard Dwayne Johnson was named to the all-America team, and Timothy Mitchell was named to the all-tournament team.
The Fire previously competed as an NAIA Independent within the Association of Independent Institutions (AII) during the 2008-2009 school year. They joined the Sun Conference in the 2009-2010 academic year. Before that, they were members of the NCCAA, competing as an independent in the South Region of Division II and Division I levels.
The Southeastern Fire athletic teams have a history of success in various sports beyond basketball. The baseball team, for instance, had a remarkable 50-5 record in the 2018 regular season and was ranked fourth in the NAIA. They also won the NAIA World Series and the national championship in Lewiston, Idaho, that same year. In 2017, the football team won the Mid-South Conference Sun Division title, and the men's soccer team won The Sun Conference championship in 2015, with Jake van der Luit named tournament MVP.
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The men's basketball team reached the final four of the NAIA Division II tournament in 2014
The Southeastern Fire, representing Southeastern University, Lakeland, Florida, reached the final four of the NAIA Division II tournament in 2014. The team first joined the NAIA in 2009 and primarily competes in the Sun Conference.
The 2014 tournament was the 21st annual NAIA Division II Men's Basketball championship, featuring 32 teams playing in a single-elimination format. The Southeastern Fire were first-time attendees, and they continued their run of victories over higher-seeded teams with a three-point win over Davenport. They then defeated the top-seeded Cardinal Stritch University behind a perfect shooting night from Jake Hodges. However, in the first semifinal game, the Indiana Wesleyan Wildcats took an early lead, ending the Fire's streak of double-digit wins.
Indiana Wesleyan ultimately won the championship game against Midland University, with a score of 78-68. The Southeastern Fire's Dwayne Johnson was named to the NAIA All-America team, and Timothy Mitchell was named to the all-tournament team.
The NAIA Division II tournament is held annually to crown a national champion for smaller colleges and universities. It was established by James Naismith and has been held every year since, except in 1944 due to World War II and in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
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The head coach of the men's basketball team is Hudson Welty
The Southeastern Fire are the athletic teams that represent Southeastern University, located in Lakeland, Florida. The university competes in 19 intercollegiate varsity sports and is a member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). The men's basketball team competes in the Sun Conference (formerly the Florida Sun Conference).
Southeastern University has a strong athletics program with several notable achievements across various sports. The men's basketball team has had success in recent years, reaching the final four of the 2014 NAIA Division II men's basketball tournament. In that tournament, they defeated the top-seeded Cardinal Stritch, with Jake Hodges shooting perfectly from the field. Point guard Dwayne Johnson was named to the all-America team, while center Timothy Mitchell was named to the all-tournament team. Mitchell Wiggins Jr.. also contributed to the team's success.
In addition to the men's basketball team's accomplishments, other Southeastern Fire athletes have achieved notable accolades. The baseball team won the NAIA World Series and the national championship in 2018 and 2022. The football team won the Mid-South Conference Sun Division title in 2017, and the men's soccer team won the NCCAA DII National Championship in 2006, with coach Drew Stacey named NCCAA Coach of the Year.
The university has produced several professional athletes, including MLB players Dee Gordon and Marvin Malone. Basketball players who have gone on to play professionally include Ali Hosni, Jacob Blankenship, Povilas Gaidys, Amir Royal, Malcolm Pollock, Dwayne Johnson, and Tim Mitchell.
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Frequently asked questions
Southeastern University, located in Lakeland, Florida, has an intercollegiate basketball team that competes in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA).
The Southeastern University basketball team goes by the name of the Southeastern Fire.
Before joining the NAIA, the Fire competed in the National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA) as an independent in the South Region of Division II and Division I levels.









































