15 Teams Earn Automatic Qualification to the 2024 Collegiate Bass Fishing Championship presented by Bass Pro Shops

SAN ANTONIO, TX (April 17, 2024) – The Association of Collegiate Anglers recently contested its third event of the 2023-24 season on the Bass Pro Shops Collegiate Bass Fishing Series.  The Hartwell Slam saw close to 450 anglers compete on Lake Hartwell in Anderson, SC for more than $20,000 in prizes and contingencies, as well as double points to count towards the Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia.  Along with the valuable prizes and points up for grabs, the Top 15 teams in the final tournament standings earned qualification into the 2024 Collegiate Bass Fishing Championship presented by Bass Pro Shops.

Here are the 15 teams that earned automatic qualification to compete in the 19^th edition of college fishing’s longest-running National Championship at Pickwick Lake next May:

1. Nicholas Dumke & Easton Fothergill – University of Montevallo
2. Ryan Lachniet & Tavin Hodgens – Campbellsville University
3. Nick Owens & Quade Lobo – Adrian College
4. Cason Price & Brayden Ruckman – Carson-Newman University
5. Levi Kohl & Grant Meisenhelter– Murray State University
6. Drake Hemby & Ewing Minor – Carson-Newman University
7. Chase Carey & Dylan Akins – Emmanuel University
8. Caden Pearson & Nathan Kallstrand – Wabash Valley College
9. Dalton Mollenkopf & Derek Rodriguez – Adrian College
10. Adrian Urso & Corbin Templon – Murray State University
11. Evan Fields & Noah Dabney – Campbellsville University
12. Tyler Campbell & Parker Guy – Emmanuel University
13. Brayden Nichols & William Tew – LSU-Shreveport
14. Wyatt Pearman & Ridge Rutledge – Campbellsville University
15. Jackson Paden & Joey Bissing – University of Tennesee

Five teams earned multiple qualifications at the Hartwell Slam: Campbellsville University (3), Adrian College (2), Murray State University (2), Carson-Newman University (2), Emmanuel University (2).

Every boat that finished in the Top 15 at the Hartwell Slam is from a team ranked in the Top 25 for the 2023-24 Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia.

1^st ranked Carson-Newman had two teams finish in the Top 15 at the Hartwell Slam.  Combined with three Top 10’s at Kentucky Lake, and another three Top 10’s at Lake Dardanelle, Carson-Newman has earned a total of eight automatic qualifications into the 2024 Collegiate Bass Fishing Championship presented by Bass Pro Shops via top finishes.  If the season were to end today, the team from Jefferson City, TN would qualify to send 12 boats to compete at Pickwick Lake.

Murray State has earned the second highest number of additional qualifications through top finishes at the three ACA major events of the season on the Bass Pro Shops Collegiate Bass Fishing Series.  The 10^th ranked team in the nation earned two qualification spots via Top 15 finishes at Lake Hartwell.  Combined with three Top 10’s at Kentucky Lake and two Top 10’s at Lake Dardanelle, as well as the fact they’re ranked in the Top 25 for the National Rankings, Murray State currently qualifies to send 11 teams to the Collegiate Bass Fishing Championship presented by Bass Pro Shops.

View the complete Championship Qualification Criteria.