Southeastern University Women's Soccer

Skelly Kellar brings more than two decades of coaching and playing experience to Southeastern University, where he now leads the Fire women's soccer program. He takes over in Lakeland after seven seasons as the founding head coach at Ottawa University–Arizona (OUAZ), where he built the Spirit into a national contender. Kellar owns a career NAIA head coaching record of 137-70-26, including five seasons at MidAmerica Nazarene University (52-34-13) and seven at OUAZ (85-36-13). His teams have won 10 or more games in nine different seasons, including every year at OUAZ except the COVID-shortened 2020 campaign, when the Spirit went 8-1-1. In 2023, Kellar led OUAZ to a 13-4-2 record, a share of the GSAC regular season title, and the program’s first-ever appearance at the NAIA National Championship final site, advancing to the Round of 16. He was named GSAC Coach of the Year in both 2020 and 2023, and his tenure produced multiple All-GSAC honorees, NAIA Honorable Mention All-Americans, and NCCAA All-Americans. Before OUAZ, Kellar guided MidAmerica Nazarene to its first NAIA National Tournament appearance and a conference tournament final. He began his collegiate head coaching career at Scottsdale Community College, where he transformed a winless program into a national semifinalist, earning ACCAC Coach of the Year honors in 2011. As a player, Kellar starred at Azusa Pacific University, helping the Cougars reach three consecutive national tournaments and earning four all-region and two All-American honors. He later played professionally in the Premier Development League, United Soccer League, and for First Division teams in South Africa. Kellar and his wife, Brittney, live in Lakeland with their two sons, Bohde and Xander.  

Brendon Wheeler has served as the assistant coach for Southeastern University women's soccer since 2022, helping guide the Fire to consistent postseason success. In his first two seasons, SEU reached the NAIA National Tournament Second Round in 2022 and the First Round in 2023, while also finishing as Sun Conference Tournament finalists both years. Prior to joining SEU, Wheeler spent six seasons at Northwest University in Kirkland, Washington, where he played a pivotal role in elevating the program to national prominence. His tenure included three NAIA National Tournament appearances—highlighted by a historic Semifinal run in 2016 as the first unseeded team to reach that stage—along with an Opening Round berth in 2017 and a Quarterfinal finish in 2018 following a Cascade Collegiate Conference Tournament Championship. Wheeler’s impact extended beyond team success, helping develop five NAIA All-Americans, one NAIA National Tournament All-Tournament Team selection, and multiple individual conference award winners, including CCC Offensive and Defensive Players of the Year (2019), CCC Freshman of the Year (2019), and CCC Newcomer of the Year (2021). His teams earned 39 All-Conference selections and 87 Academic All-Conference honors, along with three Academic All-District recipients. Before returning to his alma mater, Wheeler served as assistant coach at Snohomish High School from 2014 to 2015, helping lead the program to back-to-back 4A State Championships. As a player at Northwest, Wheeler was a three-year captain (2014–2016) and earned First Team All-Conference and CCC Defensive Player of the Week honors in 2014. He was named the team’s Defensive Player of the Year in both 2014 and 2015 and claimed Freshman of the Year honors in 2012. A standout at Snohomish High School, Wheeler earned 4A All-State First Team recognition his senior year in 2012.