The University of Montevallo’s Bass Anglers Association is now ranked the 8th best collegiate fishing team in the country according to the most recent standings by Cabela’s School of the Year.
The designation comes after the team placed in the top 13 during the Carhartt Bassmaster College Series Regional.
Between March 2 and 4, 77 boats representing southeastern colleges and universities took to the waters of Winyah Bay in South Carolina to hook the biggest catches.
By day one, three UM boats were in contention to make the top 20. UM students Porter James and Jarrett Brown managed to finish in 11th place while JT Russell and Chase Grubbs placed 5th. John Caleb Turner and Brady Vernon finished in 24th place.
On day two, the top 20 boats competed. James and Brown finished in 13th with Turner and Grubbs following in 14th. Turner and Vernon placed 28th, missing the cutoff by only 3 pounds.
Then, on the tournament’s final day, Russell and Grubbs found their national championship spot placing 12th in the final 13. They will compete in the Carhartt Bassmaster Colleges Series National Championship presented by Bass Pro Shops later this summer for a chance to compete against pro-anglers in the Bassmaster Classic.
This will be the first time since 2013 that UM has fished the national championship.
The other UM anglers will have one more chance to qualify for the tournament during the weekend of June 8 when the University hosts a wild card event on Shelby County’s Lay Lake. That tournament’s final weigh-in will take place on the UM campus.
For the latest information on the UM Bass Anglers Association, visit outdoorscholars.montevallo.edu.