Eli Bertrand bolsters West Florida as program prepares for Division I leap

Eli Bertrand gave West Florida more than a transfer win. The Argonauts landed the 2025 Sun Conference Linebacker of the Year at a moment when the program is trying to prove it can recruit like a Division I program, not just survive the jump.

West Florida announced April 2 that it will begin competing in NCAA Division I in Fall 2026, with football joining the United Athletic Conference as a football-playing affiliate and its other sports moving to the ASUN. The move puts the Argonauts in a new competitive frame, with the UAC saying the Western Athletic Conference will rebrand as the UAC on July 1 and that UWF will become the 17th member of the consortium. The school has already pointed to the strength of its Division II run, with 15 varsity programs combining for 11 national championships and 136 conference championships, and the first Division I football game is set for Aug. 27 against Southern Illinois at Pen Air Field.

Against that backdrop, Bertrand is the kind of addition that signals intent. He committed April 27 after a breakout season at Keiser, where he helped the Seahawks go 12-1 and reach the NAIA national championship game. Bertrand produced 87 total tackles, 8 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, a forced fumble and two pass breakups. The Sun Conference’s awards release lists him with 65 total tackles and a 7.2 tackles-per-game average overall, along with 40 tackles and four tackles for loss in league play, numbers that earned him first-team all-conference honors and the top linebacker award.

Bertrand said West Florida was the “right fit,” and the reasons were bigger than football alone. He pointed to the people around the program, the chance for family in Florida to come see him play, and the fact that former teammates and friends at UWF spoke highly of the culture. The relationship with linebackers coach Jason Manary carried real weight, too. Bertrand said Manary became a father figure and role model during the portal process, and that trust helped separate West Florida from other options.

Bertrand had interest from Western Illinois and North Alabama and took an official visit to North Texas, but West Florida’s pitch won out because it matched his role and his future. Public Keiser roster information lists him at 5-foot-8 and 182 pounds, a junior from Sebring, Florida, and shows he played 13 games in 2024 with 16 tackles while contributing on special teams. He said he can line up at outside linebacker, safety or nickel, and West Florida sees that versatility as a fit for STAR, edge pressure and coverage against smaller slots.

For a program about to enter a new league and a new level of scrutiny, Bertrand is more than a productive defender. He is evidence that West Florida believes it can sell continuity, relationships and ambition well enough to bring in award-winning players before its Division I debut.