Adrian College Leads School of the Year Race Entering First ACA Double Points Event of the Season
Auburn University trails by less than 2,000 points in 2nd, and two-time School of the Year winner McKendree University is in 3rd
SAN ANTONIO, TX (October 6, 2021) – The race for 2021-22 Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia is heating up as anglers prepare to compete in the first Association of Collegiate Anglers double points event this season. Entering the AFTCO Collegiate Bass Open on October 9-10, 2021, the ACA has updated the standings in the School of the Year race to this point. Michigan-based Adrian College holds a commanding lead with 5,775 points. Trailing behind Adrian in the Top 3 are 2nd ranked Auburn University at 3,895 points, and McKendree University sits in 3rd with 3,680 points.
Adrian College will be sporting the exclusive BUFF® Yellow Headwear during competition at the AFTCO Collegiate Bass Open.
View the current standings in the School of the Year race.
The latest update to the standings includes results from two MLF regional events, the Bassmaster College Classic Bracket, as well as numerous school-run events. Here is a look at some of the big movers up in the rankings following the addition of these events and points:
4) Dallas Baptist University – Previously Ranked 22nd
6) Drury University – Previously Ranked 14th
8) Stephen F. Austin – Previously Ranked 18th
18) Simpson University – Previously Ranked 56th
21) LSU-Shreveport – Previously Ranked 41st
22) Arkansas Tech University – Previously Ranked 48th
Inside of the Top 10, there were two major movers in this latest rankings update. Dallas Baptist University moved from 22nd up to 4th overall, boosted by significant points earned at two MLF regional events.
6th ranked Drury University is the other team of note to make noise inside of the Top 10. Previously ranked 14th in the nation, Hunter Baird and Beau Browning notched a 1,000-point victory at the MLF Southern on Lake Dardanelle to help the pre-season ranked Top 10 team from Springfield, MO enter the picture as a serious contender for the School of the Year race.
Along with the teams who elevated their standing in the latest update, numerous schools saw their ranking fall significantly in the School of the Year points race. Western Michigan University, Kentucky Christian University, and Ohio State University, which were previously ranked in the Top 25, all fell out of the Top 25. Kent State University, previously ranked 7th overall, dropped out of the Top 10 down to 12th, and Bowling Green State University moved from 5th to 10th.
The next major points earning opportunity for the Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia will be the 2021 AFTCO Collegiate Bass Open this upcoming weekend. 9 of the Top 10 and 16 of the Top 25 ranked teams will be competing in the AFTCO Open.
Taking place at Lake Dardanelle in Russellville, AR, the AFTCO Open will be the first ACA double points event of the 2021-22 season. This means the maximum points potential teams could earn is well over 2,000 points. Year in and year out, the AFTCO Open proves to be a crucial turning point in the season for many teams. Read a recent article published on our website talking about the impact of this event on the School of the Year race last season: ‘AFTCO Collegiate Bass Open to be First ACA Major event for the 2021-22 School of the Year Race.’
The next update to the standings for the School of the Year race will be released next week following the conclusion of the AFTCO Collegiate Bass Open.
