2023 Year in Review: Historic Milestones in the Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia
SAN ANTONIO, TX (December 28, 2023) – 2023 has been a historic year for the Association of Collegiate Anglers and the Bass Pro Shops Collegiate Bass Fishing Series. Records were broken, schools achieved program firsts, and much more, as hundreds of elite college fishing clubs and teams competed in numerous events nationwide.
The Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia is college fishing’s only all-encompassing National Rankings system. Bass fishing teams and clubs compete in major, regional, and club level events all across the country over the course of twelve months. At each points eligible event, schools can earn valuable points to count towards their season total. Every club and team has the goal of finishing as high up as possible in the final year end standings, ranging from being inside of the coveted Top 25 to being in the Top 10, and even finishing the year ranked number.
In May of this year, at Lake Hartwell and Green Pond Landing, the University of Montevallo finished the 2022-23 season ranked number one, edging out second ranked Auburn University, and third ranked Carson-Newman University. The 2022-23 title marks the third straight season in which Montevallo has finished the year ranked number one. By winning the title for the third straight year, Montevallo became the first school ever to win the Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia three times (2021, 2022, 2023).
“It’s been a great feeling knowing that our program has made history. It has been a team goal for us the last two years to win three titles in a row,” said William Crawford, Head Coach at the University of Montevallo. “We are just trying to enjoy this accomplishment because it’s not every day you get to win a Championship, much less three.”
Top ranked University of Montevallo finished the season in first place with a season total of 48, 825 points. That season points total bested the next closest competitor, Auburn University, by more than 3,700 points. Montevallo’s end of season points total is the highest of any team ever in the history of the Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia.
“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. “It does feel a little different because it is a team accomplishment, but when we win, we win as a team and when we lose, we lose as a team, so not much difference.”
Finishing in second place for the 2022-23 season, behind the University of Montevallo, was Auburn University. The runner-up finish marked the second straight year in which Auburn finished the season ranked number two. “Finishing in the Top 5 of the SOY is always a tremendous accomplishment for any program. Auburn has become synonymous with success in the collegiate fishing ranks and that is because of our amazing support system,” said Carson Maddux, Auburn University Bass Club. “Our sponsors invest a great deal into the team, which makes it easy to focus on the fishing when at these events.”
Rounding out the Top 3 for the 2022-23 Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia was Carson-Newman University. “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. The 2022-23 season marked Carson-Newman’s highest ever year-end ranking. “The team has evolved over the past few seasons from a group of talented underclassmen into a team of disciplined anglers sharing a common goal,” continued Sales. “Our Seniors have done a good job reinforcing expectations and holding each other accountable. When you mix high levels of talent with discipline and teamwork, good things happen!”
Just as soon as the 2022-23 season drew to a close, the 2023-24 race for Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia began. Prior to the first official rankings being released, the ACA conducted its annual Pre-Season Poll. For the first time in its team’s history, Auburn University was voted by anglers, coaches, and media members as the number one ranked team entering a new season. The University of Montevallo, Adrian College, Carson-Newman University, and McKendree University finished 2nd-5threspectively.
Multiple teams have achieved program history this fall. Lander University briefly topped the first National Rankings release of the season back in August. Lander had never achieved a number one ranking prior to that point.
Just a few weeks later, Emmanuel University achieved the same feat. The team from Georgia was ranked number one entering the first ACA event of the season, the Bass Pro Shops Big Bass Bash presented by Berkley. That number one ranking was the first time in which Emmanuel University had been ranked number one in the Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia.
The University of Montevallo climbed to the top of the rankings back on November 2nd, and is currently ranked number one. Entering the spring swing of the season, Montevallo will be looking to re-write the record books and become the only team to ever win the Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia four times. Third ranked University of North Alabama and fifth ranked McKendree University could join Montevallo as the only teams with three titles, if either of them could end the year ranked number one. Second ranked Carson-Newman and fourth ranked Auburn are both seeking their first-ever Bass Pro Shops School of the year presented by Abu Garcia.
