The University of Montevallo’s bass fishing team topped more than 200 collegiate fishing programs throughout the nation during the 2020-2021 season to earn the distinction of the Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia.
Throughout the year, the UM fishing team competed in many tournaments against some of the largest universities in the nation and earned points based on their performance. Following the final tournament of the season at Lake Murray in South Carolina on May 27, UM had amassed the most cumulative points of any team in the nation, taking home the team’s first School of the Year honor.
During a dominant season, the UM team, which is a part of the UM President’s Outdoor Scholars Program, took over the top ranking in the national standings in November 2020 and never relinquished its lead.
Montevallo, which finished second in last season’s School of the Year rankings, knocked off two-time defending national champion McKendree University of Lebanon, Illinois, and topped large universities such as the University of Tennessee, Auburn University and East Carolina University en route to this year’s national crown.
“I am extremely proud of what this team has accomplished. These guys have been so focused since the season started,” said Outdoor Scholars Program Director and bass team campus advisor William Crawford. “We had the goal at the beginning of the year to be the number-one team in the country, and since November they have done just that.”
To view the full national standings for the 2020-2021 season, click here.
The following students were on the 2020-2021 UM bass fishing team:
Justin Barnes | Senior | Monroeville, AL |
Jarrett Brown | Senior | Montevallo, AL |
Adam Carroll | Senior | Carrollton, GA |
Tyler Harless | Senior | Helena, AL |
Miller Spivey | Senior | Tyler, AL |
Hunter Ward | Senior | Rockford, AL |
Weston Hollar | Junior | Dadeville, AL |
Jack Baron | Junior | Arnold, MD |
Cal Culpepper | Junior | Hamilton, GA |
Trey Dickert | Junior | Greer, SC |
Cade Holcomb | Junior | Helena, AL |
Bradley Martin | Junior | Pace, FL |
Da’Kendrick Patterson | Junior | Ramer, AL |
Kopeland Rosser | Junior | Helena, AL |
Elliot Torode | Junior | Montgomery, AL |
Drew Traffanstedt | Junior | Hoover, AL |
Mason Waddell | Junior | Waverly Hall, GA |
Cole Dodson | Sophomore | Gardendale, AL |
Merritt Arnold | Sophomore | Warkinsville, GA |
Jaxson Brown | Sophomore | Birminghman, AL |
Tyler Cain | Sophomore | Bessemer, AL |
Josiah Campbell | Sophomore | Pelham, AL |
Solomon Glenn | Sophomore | Lakeville, MN |
Wesley Gore | Sophomore | Clanton, AL |
Trent Jones | Sophomore | Thorsby, AL |
Ethan King | Sophomore | Wilsonville, AL |
Grayson Morris | Sophomore | Birmingham, AL |
Chandler Olivier | Sophomore | Maylene, AL |
Griffin Phillips | Sophomore | Mount Olive, AL |
Chance Schwartz | Sophomore | Ball Ground, GA |
James Willoughby | Sophomore | Gulfport, MS |
Kyle Bahr | Freshman | Brainerd, MN |
Aaron Cherry | Freshman | Kinsey, AL |
Tyler Cory | Freshman | Amherst, WI |
Nick Dumke | Freshman | Grand Rapids, MN |
Tanner English | Freshman | Centreville, AL |
Easton Fothergill | Freshman | Grand Rapids, MN |
Brenton Godwin | Freshman | Stapleton, AL |
Brock Gullixon | Freshman | Iola, WI |
Chandler Holt | Freshman | Sterrett, AL |
Andrew Howell | Freshman | Pisgah Forest, NC |
Tommy Loper | Freshman | Perkinston, MS |
Hagan Marlin | Freshman | Opelika, AL |
Hunter Odom | Freshman | Chunchula, AL |
Jordan Pennington | Freshman | Bessemer, AL |
Jacob Pfundt | Freshman | Canton, GA |
Jackson Pontius | Freshman | Wilsonville, AL |
Scott Sledge | Freshman | Greenwood, IN |
Davian Smith | Freshman | Eufaula, AL |
Ryan Thomas | Freshman | Madison, GA |
Riley Underwood | Freshman | Hoover, AL |