McKendree University Climbs Three Spots To Be Ranked Number One In The Bass Pro Shops School Of The Year Presented By Abu Garcia
Murray State University is ranked 2nd, and three-time defending title winner the University of Montevallo is in 3rd
SAN ANTONIO, TX (September 29, 2023) – Last weekend, the Association of Collegiate Anglers contested its first major event of the season to count towards the 2023-24 Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia. The long running Bass Pro Shops Big Bass Bash presented by Berkley at Kentucky Lake saw close to 600 anglers competing to catch one big bass per session that could help them claim their share of over $40,000 in prizes, to include a top prize worth over $5,000, and 1,750 points towards the Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia standings. As an ACA double points event, schools were eligible to earn points for each of their two biggest bass inside of the Top 150 of the final overall tournament standings.
In the latest update to the Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia, two-time title winner (2019, 2020) McKendree University is in first place with 8,220 points. Murray State University moves up from 9th place and is now ranked second in the nation with 7,640 points, and coming off of its third-straight title (2021, 2022, 2023) the University of Montevallo takes over the third place slot.
McKendree University surged up the National Rankings from fourth in the last update to take over the first place spot in the nation. At the Bass Pro Shops Big Bass Bash presented by Berkley, McKendree placed two anglers in the Top 25 at Kentucky Lake to earn a total of 3,180 points. Tomas Matual finished in ninth with a bass weighing 5.32 pounds, and Harmon Marien took 25th with 4.67 pounds.
McKendree University is one of just three teams to have won the Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia multiple times (UNA – 2, Montevallo – 3). Another victory during the 2023-24 season would write McKendree University’s name in the record books, once again, as they would be tied with Montevallo with three number one end of season rankings.
View the complete updated points standings.
The Bass Pro Shops Big Bass Bash presented by Berkley will prove to be a key event in shaping the race for the Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia. Close to 600 anglers competing out of 248 boats, representing 50 different schools earned a total of 151,420 points. The maximum number of points a school could earn at Kentucky Lake last weekend was 3,490. Murray state placed its two biggest fish in first and third overall, earning the school 3,480 points. A total of seven schools earned over 3,000 points at the first ACA double points event of the current season.
Here is a look at several of the notable schools that moved up in the Top 25:
2) Murray State University – Previously Ranked 9th
4) Carson-Newman University – Previously Ranked 11th
7) University of North Alabama – Previously Ranked 19th
8) Auburn University – Previously Ranked 14th
10) Bethel University – Previously Ranked 17th
A total of 11 teams improved their ranking inside of the Top 25 from the previous update to this one. 22 of the current Top 25 teams in the Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia competed at Kentucky Lake for the Bass Pro Shops Big Bass Bash presented by Berkley.
Here is a look at teams that moved into the Top 25 after being ranked on the outside looking in previously:
16) University of Tennessee – Previously Ranked 37th
17) Southwestern Michigan College – Previously Ranked 33rd
18) Dallas Baptist University – Previously Ranked T-34th
19) Wabash Valley College – Previously Ranked 29th
23) Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville – Previously Ranked T-65th
T-24) Troy University – Previously Ranked T-44th
SIU-Edwardsville made the biggest move up into the Top 25 of any team in the latest update to the standings. The team from Illinois earned 2,910 points at the Bass Pro Shops Big Bass Bash presented by Berkley to move up over 40 places.
The next ACA double points event will be the AFTCO Collegiate Bass Open at Lake Dardanelle in Russellville, AR on October 14-15. Register for the event here.
View the complete schedule of current points eligible events.
