The Top 5 Ranked Teams in Collegiate Bass Fishing Entering a New Season

San Antonio, TX (8/19/2023) – The Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia is college fishing’s only all-encompassing national rankings system. Over the course of a 12-month season, thousands of college anglers representing hundreds of schools compete in dozens of points earning events. Each year, teams enter the new season with high hopes and the goal of being ranked inside of the coveted Top 25. To kick off the new season, the Association of Collegiate Anglers has conducted its annual Pre-Season Poll. In this third and final article, we will announce the Top 5 ranked teams, as voted upon by anglers, coaches, and media members.

1.Auburn University: For the first time in program history, Auburn University has been selected as the number one ranked team in the ACA Pre-Season Poll. The Auburn University Bass Fishing Team is coming off of back-to-back runner-up finishes in the Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia.

“I truly believe that Auburn is comprised of the nation’s most talented and brightest collegiate anglers,” said Carson Maddux, Auburn University Bass Fishing Team. “Competition within the team is at an all-time high which has translated to success across the nation.”

As Auburn embarks on its quest to win the school’s first-ever title, the team is off to a good start to the new season. Team members Hayden Marbut & Tucker Smith recently won the Bassmaster College Series National Championship at Pickwick Lake. That victory will earn the team very valuable points to start the new year.

2.University of Montevallo: Checking in at the second spot in the rankings is three-time title winner the University of Montevallo. Last season, Montevallo achieved collegiate bass fishing history by becoming the first team to ever win the Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia three times.

“I think this year’s title ranks higher than the other two to me just because three in a row has never been done before. It’s one of the highest honors you can achieve in college fishing, so it ranks pretty highly in my book,” explained Tyler Cory, University of Montevallo angler.

The University of Montevallo put together a historic season throughout the 2022-23 campaign. Over the course of the 12-month season, Montevallo accrued many valuable victories and top finishes that had them ending the year in first place with a more than 3,500-point lead over the next closest team.

3.Adrian College: Adrian College has finished in the Top 5 for the year-end rankings of the Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia for five-straight years. The team from Michigan finished the 2022-23 season in 4^th place. To begin the 2023-24 campaign, Adrian College has been selected as the third ranked team in the ACA Pre-Season Poll.

“Being in the Top 5 pre-season poll means a lot to us, because it shows that our hard work is noticed,” said Owen Januszewski, Adrian College angler. “We are consistently in the Top 5 which is an accomplishment to itself, with how things change at the collegiate level with seniors graduating and freshman coming in.”

Adrian College anglers closed last season on a strong note, by earning a significant amount of points at each of the two major National Championship events during the spring semester. Adrian College earned 3,520 points at the MLF College Championship, and 5,565 points at the BoatUS Collegiate Bass Fishing Championship presented by Bass Pro Shops.

4.Carson-Newman University: In 2022-23, Carson-Newman University finished the year with its highest-ever finish in the Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia (3^rd place).

“Our team’s program-best 3rd place finish in the SOY race is a reflection of the hard work our anglers put in over the course of a year,” said Hunter Sales, Head Coach of the Carson-Newman University Bass Fishing Team. “This is well-deserved recognition of the elite preparation, teamwork, and performance that our anglers have demonstrated this season.”

To start the 2023-24 season, Carson-Newman has been selected as the fourth ranked team in college fishing’s only all-encompassing National Rankings system. Carson-Newman made a huge surge at the last event of the season on Lake Hartwell, the triple points BoatUS Collegiate Bass Fishing Championship presented by Bass Pro Shops. Carson-Newman teams finished 7^th, 9^th, and 12^th to help the team move up two places to finish the year ranked third.

5.McKendree University: Rounding out the Top 5 for the ACA Pre-Season Poll is McKendree University. McKendree is a two-time winner of the Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia (2019,2020).

Since the 2018-19 season, McKendree University has finished every year in the Top 5 of the National Rankings.

2018-19: 1^st Place

2019-20: 1^st Place

2020-21: 2^nd Place

2021-22: 3^rd Place

2022-23: 5^th Place

McKendree University, the University of North Alabama, and the University of Montevallo are the only three teams to have won the Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia multiple times. While Montevallo leads the pack with three total titles, McKendree and UNA have each captured two titles. Entering the 2023-24 season, McKendree has an opportunity to join Montevallo in the record books with another victory.  “For the 2023-24 season we will again set our sights on that number spot. Our goal is to travel to as many great lakes as we can in hopes of getting some absolutely incredible experiences all across this beautiful country,” concluded Rinderer.

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