Carson-Newman Tops the First Rankings of 2024 for the Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia
University of North Alabama is ranked 2nd, and three-time defending title winner Montevallo drops to 3rd
SAN ANTONIO, TX (January 17, 2024) – The Association of Collegiate Anglers has updated the points standings for the 2023-24 Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia. The first points update of 2024 features results and points from a MLF College Series regular season event at the Harris Chain, as well as the MLF Championship at Lake Toho.
For the first time in its fishing program’s history, Carson-Newman University is ranked number one in the Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia. Past two-time title winner University of North Alabama moves up one place to take the 2nd spot and three-time defending School of the Year winner University of Montevallo falls to 3rd.
Carson-Newman started the year off with a bang by earning the most points of any team competing at the MLF College Series regular-season event at the Harris Chain. The school’s top two teams finished in 4th and 12th, earning a total of 2,360 points. Nicholas Dellaporta & Drew Pitts finished in 4th, and Riley Faulkner & Szymon Piton took 12th.
The following week, Carson-Newman had five teams compete in the MLF College Series Championship on Lake Toho. Ben Cully & Hayden Gaddis claimed 8th, and Drake Hemby & Ewing Minor finished the event in 13th. Those two Top 15 finishes earned Carson-Newman a total of 3,620 points. This points total was the third highest of any team competing in the event.
In the span of one week, Carson-Newman earned a total of 5,980 points. That mark was good enough for the team from Jefferson City, TN to move from 3rd to 1st in the latest points update. This is the first time Carson-Newman has ever been ranked number one in the Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia.
Currently ranked 2nd in college fishing’s only all-encompassing National Rankings system is the University of North Alabama. This moved the UNA fishing team up one spot up in the rankings since the previous update.
Team members Dylan Nutt & Carter Nutt won the MLF College Series event at the Harris Chain. Nathan Reynolds & Banks Shaw were the school’s next highest-finishing team by placing in 17th. UNA earned a total of 2,340 points at the first points qualifying event of 2024.
Dylan Nutt & Carter Nutt were also UNA’s highest-finishing team at the MLF College Series Championship on Lake Toho the following week. Nathan Reynolds & Banks Shaw were again UNA’s next best placing team, as they claimed 23rd. The two Top 25 finishes earned UNA a total of 3,360 points.
UNA’s 2nd place ranking is the school’s highest mark of the 2023-24 season for the Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia.
Sitting in 3rd for this rankings update is the University of Montevallo. The three-time defending title winner fell two spots since the previous points update. While the two teams ahead of them competed at both MLF College Series events, Montevallo only participated in the Championship.
Montevallo’s two best placing teams at Lake Toho finished in 3rd and 4th overall. Brandon Berry & Hunter Bright took 3rd, while Nicholas Dumke & Easton Fothergill claimed 4th. Montevallo earned a total of 3,900 points at the MLF College Series Championship. This was the highest points total of any school to compete in that tournament.
Montevallo currently sits 1,500 points behind top ranked Carson-Newman, and just over 500 points behind 2nd ranked UNA. For the season, Montevallo has competed in one less MLF regular season event than the two schools ahead of them. Depending on how Montevallo fairs at their two remaining MLF events, they will likely close the gap, or even take the lead.
With two major double points events being contested to start the year, a very large number of points were available to teams. Because of this, there was a lot of shake up in the standings for the Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia. Here are some notable teams that improved their ranking inside of the Top 25:
5) Campbellsville University – Previously Ranked 11th
7) LSU-Shreveport – Prevously Ranked 13th
15) University of Tennessee – Previously Ranked 19th
20) Georgia College – Previously Ranked 24th
View the complete updated rankings.
Three teams moved into the Top 25 after being on the outside looking in during the previous rankings. Florida Gateway College made the biggest move of any team, moving up 16 spots from 38th to 22nd. Kentucky Christian University moved up three spots to 23rd, and Bryan College goes from 32nd to 24th.
Just over six months remain in the 2023-24 race for Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia. View the current schedule of points qualifying events.
