LAKELAND, Fla. - Southeastern University Director of Athletics Drew Watson has announced the hiring of Cale Brubaker as the next head coach of the Fire men's basketball program.
Brubaker brings nearly a decade of collegiate coaching experience to Lakeland, having coached at the NCAA Division I, NCAA Division II, and NAIA levels. Throughout his career, he has been part of championship-caliber programs recognized for recruiting, player development, and sustained competitive success, including conference championships, national tournament appearances, and an NAIA Fab Four run.
"We are thrilled to welcome Cale to the Fire Family," said Watson. "Throughout the search process, he clearly demonstrated a passion for holistic development of student-athletes. His proven track record of success across NCAA Division I, Division II, and NAIA levels speaks for itself, but it was his relationship-based approach and alignment with our mission that set him apart. Cale understands what it takes to cultivate a championship culture, and I am confident he will build upon our program's momentum and guide the program to new heights."
Most recently, Brubaker served as an assistant coach at Northwest Missouri State University after spending three seasons at Ottawa University Arizona, where he was elevated to associate head coach. During his time at OUAZ, the Spirit advanced to the program's first-ever NAIA Fab Four, captured two conference championships, earned two national tournament appearances, and posted back-to-back 25-win seasons.
Before entering the NAIA ranks, Brubaker spent five seasons at the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA), helping the Roadrunners engineer one of the nation's top Division I turnarounds while contributing in recruiting, scouting, player development, film analysis, and basketball operations.
"I am incredibly honored and grateful for the opportunity to lead the men's basketball program at Southeastern University," said Brubaker. "I want to sincerely thank SEU president, Dr. Kent Ingle, and AD Drew Watson for their trust and belief in my vision for the program. Returning to a faith based university is especially meaningful to me, as it gives me the opportunity to invest in young men, not only as basketball players, but as followers of Christ and future leaders. It is a calling that I'm deeply passionate about."
A former NAIA student-athlete, Brubaker played at MidAmerica Nazarene University from 2012-16, helping the Pioneers win 91 games while advancing to two NAIA Fab Four appearances. During his career, MNU also captured the 2016 Heart of America Athletic Conference regular-season championship and the 2014 conference tournament title. Brubaker graduated from MidAmerica Nazarene with a bachelor's degree in history before earning a Master of Educational Leadership from UTSA.
Brubaker takes over a Southeastern program coming off a 25-7 campaign in 2025-26, which included a third-place finish in the Sun Conference and an at-large berth and first round win in the NAIA National Tournament.
