A Look at the Past Winners of the Collegiate Bass Fishing Championship presented by Bass Pro Shops

ANDERSON, SC (May 19, 2025) – The Association of Collegiate Anglers’ National Championship, the Collegiate Bass Fishing Championship presented by Bass Pro Shops, is college fishing’s longest-running National Championship.  The 2025 edition will mark the ACA’s historic 20th National Championship tournament. Leading up to this week’s tournament, we take a look at the past winners of this prestigious event:

2006: Christopher Craven & Alexander Freeman – North Carolina State University

2007: Justin Rackley & Trevor Knight – Texas A&M University

2008: Bodie Drake & Kazuki Kitajima – University of Arkansas

2009: Kalem Tippett & Vincent Campisano – Murray State University

2010: Bo Page & Ben Cleary – University of Georgia

2011: Sonar Burghoff & Casey O’Donnell – University of Central Florida

2012: Ben Dziwulski & Ethan Cox – North Carolina State University

2013: Zach Parker & Matthew Roberts – Bethel University

2014: Byron Kenney & William Treadwell – University of Georgia

2015: Brandon Houston & Brandon Knapmeyer – Northern Kentucky University

2016: Cole Burdeshaw & Mitchell Jennings – Auburn University

2017: Sloan Pennington and Hunter McCarty – University of North Alabama

2018: Carter McNeil & Cole Floyd – Bethel University

2019: Carter McNeil & Cole Floyd – Bethel University

2020: Bailey Fain & Preston Kendrick – Bryan College

2021: Noah Skolnick & Garrett Torres – Texas Christian University

2022: Bryar Chambers & Clent Blackwood – Wallace State Community College

2023: Tucker Smith & Hayden Marbut – Auburn University

2024: Dylan Nutt & Carter Nutt – University of North Alabama

The first ACA National Championship was contested at Lake Lewisville in Texas during the fall of 2006.  That tournament was won by Christopher Craven & Alexander Freeman from North Carolina State University.  Including that first event in 2006, a total of 19 ACA National Championship tournaments have been contested.

A total of 13 different schools have won the Collegiate Bass Fishing Championship presented by Bass Pro Shops.  Five different schools have won the event multiple times:

– Bethel University (3)

-North Carolina State University (2)

– University of Georgia (2)

– Auburn University (2)

– University of North Alabama (2)

Bethel University is the only school to have won the tournament three times.  Past team members Cole Floyd and Carter McNeil are also the only two angler pairing to take the crown multiple times.  The pair won college fishing’s longest-running National Championship in back-to-back seasons (2018, 2019).

The 2025 Collegiate Bass Fishing Championship presented by Bass Pro Shops will take place at Lake Hartwell in Anderson, SC on May 22-23.  Who will take home the title at the ACA’s historic 20th National Championship?  We will find out in just a few short days!