4th Annual ACA Pre-Season Poll for the Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia

The first of a three-part feature article series will take a look at teams ranked 16^th – 25^th

San Antonio, TX (9/6/2024) – The Association of Collegiate Anglers, which operates the Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia, is excited to showcase its fourth annual pre-season rankings for college bass fishing, according to a voting poll of top coaches, schools, media personnel, and fishing industry personalities with experience in college fishing.

This poll is a one-of-a-kind poll, similar to rankings in other college sports, that will help kick off the season-long race for the prestigious Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia title, before the first official rankings are released next week.   Today’s article will show teams that were selected 16^th – 25^th in the pre-season rankings.

16. University of Tennessee
17. Bryan College
18. Catawba Valley C.C.
19. Dallas Baptist University
20. Tarleton State University
21. Erskine College
22. Kentucky Christian University
23. Missouri State University
24. Purdue University
25. Murray State College

This article is the first of a three-part series highlighting the teams picked 1^st – 25^th in the annual ACA Pre-Season Poll for the Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia.  Listed above are the teams that were selected 16^th – 25^th.  This group of teams is comprised of a past School of the Year winner (Bryan College – 2017), perennial Top 25 teams, as well as several schools who have been chosen in the Top 25 of the Pre-Season Poll for the first time.

The ACA conducted its first-ever Pre-Season Poll in 2021.  The 2024 poll marks the 4^th time in which the ACA has polled coaches, anglers, and media members to rank the Top 25 teams entering a new season.  Of the 10 teams in this rankings reveal for 16^th – 25^th, five have been selected in the Pre-Season Top 25 each of the past four years.  Here is a list of those teams:

16. University of Tennessee
17. Bryan College
18. Catawba Valley C.C.
19. Dallas Baptist University
20. Tarleton State University

Three different schools in this rankings reveal are being selected inside of the Top 25 of the Pre-Season Poll for the first time in their program’s history.  Those three are Erskine College, Purdue University, and Murray State College.

The teams that comprise this rankings reveal represent some of the top bass fishing teams/clubs in the nation.  As mentioned earlier, Bryan College, a former winner of the Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia, is included inside of the Top 25.  Seven of the 10 teams in this Pre-Season Poll finished last season ranked in the  Top 25 at the conclusion of the 2023-24 season.  Each of these teams have the anglers and capabilities to maintain, or improve upon, their pre-season ranking throughout the course of the upcoming year.