ATHLETICS UPDATE SEUFIRE.COM
The Women’s Basketball team celebrates after advancing to the NAIA National Tournament with their undefeated run through the NAIA Opening Round.
BASEBALL In the NAIA Preseason Coaches’ Poll, the Fire were voted No. 1 in the NAIA and were also selected as the Preseason Sun Conference favorite. The Fire lived up to the hype after securing their third Sun Conference Tournament title in program history and became the first Sun Conference team since 2013 to win the regular season and tournament titles in the same year. The Fire were chosen as a host site for the NAIA Baseball Opening Round where they went undefeated to secure their third trip to the NAIA World Series. At the World Series, SEU went 1-2. Senior Nick Bottari was The Sun Conference Player of the Year and one of four All-Americans on the team this year.
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Bottari was also the Polk County Male Collegiate Athlete of the Year and the recipient of the Commissioner’s Award for Perseverance at the Polk County All Sports Awards. MEN’S BASKETBALL With their backs against the wall late in the season, the Fire rallied to defeat the Ave Maria Gyrenes 75-72 to secure their spot in The Sun Conference Tournament. The Fire took on top-seeded Warner University in the quarterfinal matchup and were defeated by a score of 79-57 to end their 12-17 season. Reggie Mesidor captained the Fire and was named Second Team All-Sun Conference after leading the team in scoring with 400 points and
averaging 14.8 points per game. Mesidor also recorded 115 rebounds, 64 assists, 38 steals and six blocks while shooting 42% from the field and 38% from the threepoint arc. The Fire brought in more awards at the conclusion of the season, including an Academic All-District title for Riley Minix and a Sun Conference Champion of Character award for Devon Ford. WOMEN’S BASKETBALL The Fire underwent another successful year this season with an overall record of 26-3 and a perfect 20-0 Sun Conference record, securing their sixth-straight Sun Conference regular season and fifth Sun Conference Tournament championship.
