The Axemen joined the Indoor Football League (IFL) as an expansion team in 2013 and first took the field for the 2014 season.

[3] League expansion director and Cedar Rapids Titans owner Chris Kokalis would state that for a team to begin play for the 2014 season, ownership had to be found between late August and early September at the latest.

[7] On February 22, 2014, the Axemen won their inaugural regular season game, claiming victory over the Green Bay Blizzard.

[8] The team performed well through early May, posting a 5-4 record, but then collapsed with 5 consecutive losses to complete the season at 5-9 and 3rd place in the United Conference.

Under the leadership of new head coach Dixie Wooten, the Axemen struggled out of the gate, dropping their first two games.