Emmanuel University Moves Up One Spot To Be Ranked Number One In The Bass Pro Shops School Of The Year Presented By Abu Garcia
Past title winner, the University of Alabama is in second, and LSU-Shreveport climbs 15 spots to be ranked third
SAN ANTONIO, TX (September 21, 2023) – The 2023-24 season for the Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia is in its fourth month as teams compete nationwide for valuable points to count towards college fishing’s only all-encompassing National Rankings system. To this point in the season, a total of 14 points qualifying events have been contested. Those events range from local and regional school-run events to two major tournaments, and one college National Championship.
Emmanuel University tops the latest update to the standings for the Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia with a total of 5,445 points. 2016 title winner, the University of Alabama, moves up from seventh place in the previous update to be ranked second currently, and LSU-Shreveport is in third after jumping up 15 spots.
View the latest updated rankings.
Emmanuel University has started the 2023-24 season by amassing 5,445 points through fishing a total of five events. After finishing the 2022-23 season ranked eighth, Emmanuel University was picked as the eighth best team in the ACA’s annual pre-season poll to begin the year. The team from Franklin Springs, GA has competed in two MLF major events, the Bassmaster College Series National Championship, and two School-Run/Other tournaments. Emmanuel’s best event of the season came at Pickwick Lake for the Bassmaster College Series National Championship. Two Top 50 finishes at that event netted the school 3,205 points, which is helping to bolster their season points total.
The latest update to the standings for the Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia features a lot of movement amongst the Top 25, as some teams travelled to compete in a major event while others are waiting until later in the season to compete in those level of tournaments. Seven teams that were ranked in the Top 25 from the previous update improved their ranking, while 13 teams remained in the Top 25 but dropped in the standings.
Here is a look at several teams that made big moves up inside of the Top 25:
4) McKendree University – Previously Ranked 15th
5) Blue Mountain Christian University – Previously Ranked 17th
7) East Texas Baptist University – Previously Ranked 25th
Each of these three teams earned points at the MLF event on Sam Rayburn Reservoir. Many teams that competed in that tournament gained ground on other schools that did not compete there. Here are teams that capitalized on strong finishes at the MLF major to move into the Top 25 after being on the outside looking in during the prior points update:
13) Sam Houston State University – Previously Ranked 29th
15) Drury University – Previously Ranked 40th
18) Tarleton State University – Previously Ranked 48th
20) Northwestern State University – Previously Ranked 42nd
25) University of Nebraska – Previously Ranked 28th
This upcoming weekend, the ACA will host its first double points event of the 2023-24 season. The Bass Pro Shops Big Bass Bash presented by Berkley will award 1,750 points to the event winner, and schools will be eligible to earn points for their two highest-placing fish inside of the Top 150 for the final tournament standings. 17 of the Top 25 teams in the current National Rankings will be on-site to compete at Kentucky Lake. The ACA will provide an update to the points standings next week following the completion of its no-entry-fee, nationally televised, double points event.
