Arkansas Tech’s Case and Higby Take Day 1 Lead at the 2022 AFTCO Collegiate Bass Open

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RUSSELLVILLE, AR (October 8, 2022) – Day 1 of tournament competition is in the books at the 2022 AFTCO Collegiate Bass Open.  218 of the top collegiate bass fishing teams in the nation took to Lake Dardanelle in search of the best five bites they could catch and bring to weigh-in at Lake Dardanelle State Park.  Numerous quality limits were brought to the scales, and Mat Higby & John Foster Case from Arkansas Tech University take the Day 1 lead with 15.56 pounds.  Lane Stephens & Colsyn Head from McKendree University are in 2nd place, and Remington Lawrence and Jade Craft of Arkansas Tech University round out the Top 3.

View the complete Day 1 results.

The host site for the 2022 AFTCO Collegiate Bass Open is the city of Russellville, AR.  Russellville is a great host, and home to a great fishery in Lake Dardanelle.  Also located in the city of Russellville is Arkansas Tech University.  Arkansas Tech won the first-ever title of Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia more than 10 years ago, and the ATU bass fishing club always shows well at this event on their home fishery.

Mat Higby & John Foster Case from Arkansas Tech University represent their local waters well by bringing in a limit of over 15 pounds on Day 1.  The two weighed in 15.56 pounds to claim a more than two pound lead over second place.  Higby & Case said that they ran some familiar spots in which they’ve had recent success.  That milk run of familiar spots has them sitting atop the leaderboard of this elite field comprised of 218 of the top teams in the country.

Remington Lawrence and Jade Craft, also from Arkansas Tech University, are in third with 13.33 pounds.

Sitting in 2nd place are Lane Stephens and Colsyn Head from third ranked McKendree University.  Stephens and Head brought in a five bass limit weighing 13.53 pounds.  After weighing in their fish, the duo stated that they dialed in on a pattern mid-morning that yielded the day’s catch.  On Day 2 they will be looking to catch five more quality fish, and possibly even add in a nice kicker fish to threaten for the overall tournament title.

The AFTCO Collegiate Bass Open is a double points event in the race for Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia.  Arkansas Tech stands to gain valuable points if they can back up their Day 1 showing of 1st and 3rd overall.  McKendree University is in good shape after Day 1, with its two highest placed teams being 2nd and 10th. Colsyn Head and Lane Stephens are in 2nd place as mentioned above, and Jack Stephens and Nick Holtgrave are in 10th.  Second ranked University of Montevallo also stands to gain valuable points as they have teams in 11th and 12th overall.

Day 2 will mark the final day of tournament competition at the 2022 AFTCO Collegiate Bass Open.  Following the conclusion of weigh-in tomorrow, over $20,000 in prizes and contingencies will be awarded, along with double points in the race for Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia.  Be sure to follow along with live blog coverage at www.collegiatebasschampionship.com, and tune in for final day weigh-in starting at 1:00 PM on the Outdoor Action TV app.