Drake Sturgill from the University of Montevallo Receives the First Annual Travis Ely Memorial Scholarship

SAN ANTONIO, TX (June 26, 2025) – The Association of Collegiate Anglers announces the recipient for the 2025 Travis Ely Memorial Scholarship.  Drake Sturgill from the University of Montevallo receives the first-annual $1,500 scholarship.

Last year, the ACA, in working with the Ely family and Bass Pro Shops/White River Marine Group, announced the Travis Ely Memorial Scholarship.

Travis Ely, a former member of the Purdue University Bass Fishing Team, passed away in a car accident on October 16, 2023 while returning back to school from a bass fishing tournament.

Travis’ legacy has left a lasting impact on the fishing community.  The Travis Ely Memorial Scholarship has been created to carry on Travis’ memory and will honor an active college angler for his/her impact both on the water and in the community.

Travis valued faith, family, and fishing, among many other great things in his life.  These were major criteria that were taken into consideration when reviewing applicants for this scholarship.

The recipient of the 2025 Travis Ely Memorial Scholarship, Montevallo angler Drake Sturgill, encompasses these values.

“I come from a family of six from a small town in western North Carolina, and the outdoors have been monumental in the building and refining of my character,” said Sturgill.  “For me, the outdoors is a refuge of God’s purest creation and where many of my favorite memories have been made.”

As a young student angler, Drake’s life experiences have led him through deep personal and spiritual growth.  Drake uses this to fuel his inspiration each day to achieve his fullest capabilities at school, work, and on the water.

The Travis Ely Memorial Scholarship is an honor that will be awarded at the Collegiate Bass Fishing Championship presented by Bass Pro Shops, with applications starting in 2024 and continuing into the future.  This scholarship will be awarded to a student angler who exemplifies great success, character, sportsmanship, and work ethic, just like Travis, both on the water and around the community.  To find out more information about eligibility criteria, click here.

Thanks to contributions made from the Ely family and Bass Pro Shops/White River Marine Group, the Travis Ely Memorial Scholarship will be a $1,500 scholarship awarded annually to one well-deserving angler.

 The Ely family is set to host the 2^nd annual Travis Ely Memorial Bass Fishing Tournament next month. The event will take place at Monroe Lake in Indiana on July 26^th.  Funds raised through this tournament will be used to support the Travis Ely Memorial Scholarship.  Last year, the tournament raised a significant amount of money that will help to grow the scholarship fund for years to come.  To find out more details and register for the event, follow this link.