The Rise of the Seahawks: A History of the Keiser University Football Program

The Keiser University Seahawks football program, representing Keiser University, a private institution with campuses across Florida, has rapidly ascended in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). As a member of The Sun Conference, the program competes at the NCAA Division I-equivalent level within the NAIA. This article delves into the history of the program, from its inception to its national championship victory and subsequent achievements.

Program Establishment and Early Years

Keiser University established its inaugural varsity football team in 2018, marking the institution's entry into the sport within the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). The addition was announced on July 10, 2017, elevating the university's varsity sports count to 22, with Doug Socha appointed as the first head coach to lead the effort. Building the program from scratch presented significant challenges, particularly in recruiting within Florida's saturated landscape dominated by NCAA Division I and II programs. Socha assembled an initial roster of approximately 110 signees, primarily through local high school talent and junior college transfers, emphasizing community ties in West Palm Beach.

The 2018 debut season yielded a 6-4 overall record and 4-2 mark in the MSC Sun Division, achieving the program's first winning campaign despite infrastructure limitations and stiff competition from established NAIA foes.

Breakthrough Seasons and Conference Dominance

The 2019 season represented a breakthrough, as the Seahawks compiled a 9-1 regular-season record and a perfect 6-0 conference ledger to claim their first MSC Sun Division title. This accomplishment secured the program's inaugural NAIA playoff berth, though they exited in the first round with a 28-24 defeat to No. 10 University of the Cumberlands. Disruptions from the COVID-19 pandemic reshaped the 2020-21 campaign, which was postponed to spring 2021 with a condensed schedule and restricted attendance to mitigate health risks. Despite these hurdles-including altered training protocols and regional travel uncertainties-the Seahawks posted a 9-1 overall record and 5-0 in conference play, defending their Sun Division crown. Momentum carried into the fall 2021 season, where Keiser finished 9-3 overall and 5-1 against division rivals, securing a third consecutive MSC Sun Division championship. This run of division titles solidified the program's early identity, while the football initiative contributed to broader campus growth, including enhanced student enrollment driven by increased visibility and community engagement in Florida's private college sector.

Transition to the Sun Conference

In 2022, the Keiser Seahawks transitioned to the Sun Conference (formerly The Sun Conference, TSC), marking a pivotal shift that elevated the program's competitive stature within NAIA football. The move aligned Keiser with a stronger regional alignment, enabling immediate dominance as the team posted an undefeated 6-0 conference record en route to their first TSC championship. The following seasons solidified Keiser's ascent, with back-to-back TSC titles in 2023 and 2024, maintaining undefeated conference marks of 7-0 and 6-0, respectively.

National Championship Triumph

In 2023, the Seahawks achieved their crowning moment by capturing the NAIA National Championship with a 31-21 victory over Northwestern College, ending the Red Raiders' bid for a repeat and marking Keiser's first national title in program history. The pinnacle of the program's early success came in 2023, when the Seahawks finished 12-2 overall and 7-0 in conference play, earning the program's second consecutive undefeated Sun Conference championship. They stormed through the NAIA Football Championship Series, defeating Northwestern (Iowa) 31-21 in the national title game on December 18, 2023, at Durham County Memorial Stadium in Durham, North Carolina-the first NAIA football championship in Keiser University athletics history. This victory highlighted the team's resilience, with standout performances from All-Americans and a balanced attack that averaged over 40 points per game in the postseason.

Post-Championship Era

Post-2023 title, the program experienced significant growth, including consistent top-two national rankings from the NAIA coaches' poll and expanded media coverage that spotlighted their run-heavy offense and defensive prowess. Alumni engagement surged, with former players contributing to community events and booster support, further embedding the team within Keiser University's athletic identity. Entering 2025 under Russ's leadership, the Seahawks started 3-0, including a 38-31 upset win over No. 6 Indiana Wesleyan, demonstrating sustainability and adaptability with a revamped roster. Their broader influence extended to elevating NAIA football's visibility, as Keiser's repeated deep playoff runs inspired recruitment surges across the division and boosted the university's overall athletic profile, including an eighth-place finish in the 2025 Learfield Directors' Cup fall standings.

Rivalries

The Keiser Seahawks' primary rivalry in the Sun Conference (formerly The Sun Division of the Mid-South Conference) is with the in-state Ave Maria Gyrenes, a matchup that has defined Florida NAIA football since the program's inception in 2018. As fellow Florida institutions, the teams first met on October 27, 2018, with Ave Maria earning a narrow 10-7 victory, but Keiser has since dominated, winning the next seven encounters to hold an overall series record of 7-1. Notable games include Keiser's 54-7 rout on October 28, 2023, away at Gyrene Field, and a commanding 42-7 road win on November 1, 2025, which extended Keiser's conference winning streak to 24 games and clinched another undefeated Sun Conference season.

Historically, the Southeastern Fire represented Keiser's fiercest early adversary during the program's formative years in the Mid-South Conference's Sun Division from 2019 to 2021, where multiple games decided division titles. The series began on November 3, 2018, and has seen 10 total meetings, with Keiser leading 8-2 overall, including a current five-game win streak. Key contests include Southeastern's 27-24 upset victory on October 16, 2021, which factored into that season's division race, contrasted by Keiser's recent dominance, such as a 34-23 regular-season win on November 8, 2025, at home on Senior Night and a 44-16 playoff triumph on November 29, 2025, in the NAIA Football Championship Series first round.

An emerging national rivalry has developed with the Grand View Vikings through intense NAIA playoff confrontations, highlighting Keiser's ascent to championship contention. The teams have met three times since 2022, with Keiser holding a 1-2 series edge; Keiser's lone win came in a 38-35 semifinal thriller during the 2023 NAIA playoffs. However, Grand View has prevailed in the last two NAIA national championship games, defeating Keiser 35-7 in 2024 and 22-16 in 2025 at neutral-site finals in Fort Worth, Texas, denying the Seahawks back-to-back titles.

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Coaching Staff

The Keiser Seahawks football program has had two head coaches since its inception in 2018, both contributing to its rapid ascent as a national powerhouse in NAIA football. Doug Socha was hired as the inaugural head coach in 2018 to launch the Seahawks football program at Keiser University, bringing experience from NFL and college coaching roles to build the team from scratch. Following Socha's move to NCAA Division II's Lenoir-Rhyne University in early 2024, Myles Russ was internally promoted to head coach on January 29, 2024, becoming only the second in program history after six years as assistant head coach. Russ has seamlessly continued the program's dominance. In 2024, he led the Seahawks to a 12-1 record, an undefeated 6-0 conference mark, the program's third straight Sun Conference title, and a NAIA National Championship Game appearance, where they fell short. In 2025, Russ guided the team to another 12-1 season, a perfect 7-0 conference record for the fourth consecutive title, and a second straight NAIA championship berth, losing 22-16 to Grand View in the final.

The offensive staff is led by Myles Notkin, who enters his fourth year as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach in 2026, following two seasons in the same position at Keiser prior to 2024. A Florida native with a bachelor's and master's in sports management from Florida State University, Notkin previously worked eight years at Florida State (2012-2019) in various analyst and graduate assistant roles for wide receivers and quarterbacks, contributing to a national championship (2013) and multiple bowl appearances. He also served as an offensive analyst at Florida Atlantic (2020-2021).

Season Records

The Keiser Seahawks football program has compiled an impressive record since its inception in 2018, with consistent success in both regular season and postseason play. The following table summarizes the year-by-year results, including head coaches, overall records (encompassing regular season and postseason games), conference records, and final NAIA rankings where applicable. Data is drawn from official program records.

2019: The team posted a perfect 6-0 conference mark, highlighted by a pivotal mid-season win over rival Southeastern that clinched the division title and propelled them into the NAIA playoffs.2020: Amid a COVID-19-shortened schedule, Keiser maintained momentum with a flawless 5-0 conference record, including a key road victory over then-ranked Bethel that solidified their status as MSC Sun Division frontrunners.2021: Despite two early-season setbacks, the Seahawks rebounded with five straight wins, culminating in a crucial conference victory over St.2023: The Seahawks dominated with a perfect 7-0 conference record under Socha's final season, featuring a signature 51-21 win over St.2025: The team repeated as conference champions with another perfect 7-0 mark, highlighted by a 35-14 home victory over #8 St.

Conference Championships

The Keiser Seahawks football program has secured seven conference championships since its inception, beginning with three consecutive Mid-South Conference (MSC) Sun Division titles from 2019 to 2021. In 2019, Keiser clinched its first title with a perfect 6-0 conference record, highlighted by dominant wins such as 48-7 over Webber International and 42-29 against Southeastern, marking the program's inaugural postseason qualification. The 2020 season, shortened due to COVID-19 and played in spring 2021, saw another undefeated 5-0 run in the division, including shutouts like 62-0 versus Florida Memorial and 61-0 against Warner, earning head coach Doug Socha the MSC Sun Coach of the Year honors. Following a conference realignment to The Sun Conference (TSC) in 2022, Keiser extended its streak to four straight TSC titles through 2025, achieving perfect or near-perfect records each year. The 2022 championship came via a 6-0 conference record, featuring blowouts like 52-14 against Webber International, which propelled the team to its first national title game appearance. In 2023, an undefeated 7-0 run included 51-21 victories over both St. Thomas and Southeastern, resulting in a school-record 12 wins and 18 All-Conference selections, highlighted by a 69-6 win over Warner. The 2024 title followed a 6-0 mark with wins such as 52-17 against Thomas (Ga.) and 51-16 over Florida Memorial, earning new head coach Myles Russ the TSC Coach of the Year and AFCA NAIA Coach of the Year awards. Keiser capped the streak in 2025 with a flawless 10-0 regular season, securing the title through decisive conference triumphs that seeded them No. 2 nationally.

NAIA Football Championship Series

Since 2019, the Seahawks have qualified for the NAIA Football Championship Series (FCS) every season, compiling an overall postseason record of 16-6 through 2025, with a strong 11-1 mark in home playoff games at the Keiser Multi-Purpose Field. Their debut in 2019 ended in a narrow 28-24 first-round loss to No. 10 Cumberlands, despite leading 24-21 late in the fourth quarter. The 2021 spring playoffs (delayed from 2020) saw first-round (63-21 over Arizona Christian) and quarterfinal (42-14 over Reinhardt) wins before a 38-14 semifinal defeat to Lindsey Wilson; the fall playoffs added a 16-13 first-round victory over Reinhardt but a 54-12 quarterfinal loss to top-seeded Lindsey Wilson. In 2022, Keiser advanced to the national championship as the No. 4 see…

Facilities and Traditions

The Keiser Seahawks football team plays its home games at the Keiser Multi-Purpose Field, located at 2600 N Military Trail in West Palm Beach, Florida. Constructed in 2017, the facility officially opened on September 22, 2018, hosting the program's inaugural game against Warner University. The venue features a Shaw Sports Turf artificial surface, upgraded from natural grass in 2019, along with Musco Lighting installations that enabled the first night game on October 19, 2019. As a multi-purpose facility, the field supports various university athletic events beyond football, including the first games for the men's and women's lacrosse teams in 2020 and the women's flag football program in 2021. Its versatile design allows for integration with other campus activities, enhancing logistical efficiency for Keiser University's athletics department. Home games incorporate tailgating traditions in designated campus parking areas, opening no more than three hours prior to kickoff. Fans may set up tents up to 10 by 10 feet and tables up to eight feet long, provided they do not block access routes; however, open flames, gas grills, and alcohol within 100 feet of the stadium are prohibited, with consumption limited to those 21 and older until halftime. Since 2018, attendance at home games has grown alongside the program's success, with season totals exceeding 5,000 fans in recent years.

Identity

The Keiser Seahawks football team represents Keiser University, a private, accredited institution founded in 1977 with its flagship campus in West Palm Beach, Florida. The team's nickname, "Seahawks," aligns with the university's coastal Florida location, evoking the seabirds native to the region's beaches and waterways, and has been the unifying athletic identity since the program's early days. The official team colors are navy blue (Pantone 2767 C, hex #13294B), Columbia blue, and white, which are prominently featured in uniforms, logos, and game-day apparel to convey strength and vibrancy. The mascot is Skylar the Seahawk, a costumed character depicting a fierce raptor bird that embodies the team's aggressive spirit and appears at games and events to energize fans.

Other Athletic Achievements

Beyond football, Keiser University has achieved national recognition in various other sports. The Seahawks Women's golf team have won four NAIA Women's Golf National Championships (2003, 2015, 2016, 2021). 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 2019-20 season marked the inaugural year of the Keiser men's wrestling team. Keiser, along with Southeastern University and St. This marked the first time Keiser competed at the national level in both competitive cheer and competitive dance collegiate events.

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