NAIA NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP
Score: No. 1 Keiser Seahawks 14 , No. 4 Cumberlands (Ky.) Patriots 13 (OT)
Records: No. 1 seed Keiser Seahawks (15-1) vs. No. 3 seed Cumberlands (Ky.) Patriots  (13-5)
Memorial Stadium - Savannah, Georgia

Senior Kegan Hufford tied a career-high, scoring six goals, including the overtime game-winner, as the No. 1-ranked Keiser men's lacrosse team defeated the No. 4-ranked Cumberlands (Ky.) Patriots, 14-13, in the NAIA National Championship Game on Saturday.
 
The win was the Seahawk's third straight National Championship, having won the NAIA Invitational crown in 2023 and 2024.
 
In a closely fought battle, the Seahawks trailed for most of the contest, falling behind 7-3 in the second quarter. Keiser kept the game close pulling within one multiple times. It was Hufford, who netted the Seahawk's last three goals of the contest, who tied the game in the fourth and gave Keiser the lead with 7:02 left to play. The Patriots tied the NAIA Championship with a goal by Nick Kava with 3:51 left in regulation. Keiser had one last chance to win the game in the final seconds but were unable to break the tie. I took just 27 seconds in overtime to decide the NAIA National Champion as Hufford slipped a shot from the side of the net, beating goalkeeper Nathan Foskey.
 
Hufford ended the game with six goals on 13 shots. It marked his fourth straight hat trick and sixth of the season. Ryan Rundle and JP Prather each scored two goals in the game. Prather assisted on Hufford's game-winning goal. AJ Badik led the team with three assists on the day.
 
Goalkeeper Lucas Green recorded 13 saves in the game, finishing the year with a 14-1 record.
 
With the win, the Seahawks improved to 12-5 overall in NAIA postseason play (NAIA National and Invitational Tournaments). Keiser closes out the 2025 season with a 15-1 overall record.
 

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Keiser 3, Cumberlands (Ky.) 2

• AJ Badik recorded his 31st goal of the season to give Keiser a 1-0 lead with 14:03 on the game clock
• After two consecutive goals by the Patriots, Kegan Hufford tied the game (6:21) with his first of six goals on the day
• Off a UC foul, Zach Crotwell found Ryan Stowell with the quick restart, leading to Stowell's 31st goal of the season and a 3-2 lead for the Seahawks

Cumberlands (Ky.) 8, Keiser 7

• The Patriots rattled off five straight goals as UC led 7-3 with 9:57 left in the half
• Hufford netted his second goal of the game with 9:29 on the game clock. Badik was credited with one of his three assist on the score
• Goals by Vincent Cerasuolo (6:21) and Ryan Rundle (4:33) pulled Keiser within one
• Both teems exchanged goals in the final two minutes as Cumberlands (Ky.) held a one-goal edge heading into halftime

Cumberlands (Ky.) 11, Keiser 9

• A goal by Nick Kava pushed the Cumberlands (Ky.) lead to two goals with 8:36 on the game clock
• Rundle (3:26) and Hufford (2:14) scored both of Keiser's goal in the quarter
• For Rundle, it was his second of the game while Hufford tallied his fourth straight hat trick

Keiser 13, Cumberlands (Ky.) 13

• One minute after UC extended its lead to two, Prather with his second goal of the game (12-10 with 13:37 left to play)
• Six seconds later Cole Nappi made it a one-goal game, scoring directly off the faceoff
• With 8:19 left in regulation, Hufford recorded his fourth goal of the game with a behind-the-back shot
• The goal tied the game at 12-12 
• Hufford gave Keiser its first lead since of the game since the start of the second
• UC tied the game on a goal by Kava with 3:51 remaining

Keiser 14, Cumberlands (Ky.) 13

• It took just 27 second to decide this year's champion as Hufford scored the game-winner with 3:33 on game clock
• The goal tied his career high for goals in a game with six

• The Seahawks have won three straight NAIA National Championships
• This year's victory is the first of the Men's Lacrosse Championship Era in the NAIA  
• With the win, Keiser finished the year with a 15-1 overall record
• The Seahawks are now 12-5 overall in NAIA postseason play (NAIA National and Invitational Tournaments)
• Keiser has out-scored the opposition, 268-132, this season
• Kegan Hufford tied a career high in goals scored in a game, including the game-winner in overtime
• It marked Hufford's fourth straight hat trick and his sixth of the season 
• Hufford was named the NAIA Tournament MVP
• Also making the NAIA All-Tournament Team, which includes Hufford, were Ryan Stowell, Chris Rayburn, Ryan Rundle, Donovan Barnshaw, and Zach Crotwell
• Prather and Rundle added two goal apiece 
• AJ Badik, who had four points, tied his career high in assists with three versus the Patriots
• The Seahawks registered seven assists on their 14 goals
• Keiser controlled the face-off circle, winning 20-of-30
• Chris Rayburn was 12-of-18 for the game
• KU collected a total of 43 groundballs as 13 different Seahawks tallied at least one groundball 
• Rayburn led the way with eight groundballs 
• In net, Lucas Green recorded 13 saves  
• The Seahawks out-shot Cumberlands (Ky.), 52-37

No. 1 Keiser
Points: Hufford (6)
Goals: Hufford (6)
Assists: Badik (3)
Face-Offs: Rayburn (12)
Ground Balls: Rayburn (8)
Caused Turnovers: Niemeier (2)
Saves: Green (13)
 
No. 4 Cumberlands (Ky.)
Points: Kava/Rogers/Vanover (4)
Goals: Kava (4)
Assists: Rogers/Vanover (2)
Face-Offs: Adams (7)
Ground Balls: Schwaiger (7)
Caused Turnovers: Long/Hebenstreit (2)
Saves: Foskey (14)

 

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