Reviewing the Mid-Season Rankings for Teams 6th -15th in the Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia

SAN ANTONIO, TX (JANUARY 8, 2025) – As students are currently on winter break and preparing to return to campus for the spring semester, the Association of Collegiate Anglers is at the halfway point for its current, historic 20^th season.  In just over five months, at the end of May, the race for 2024-25 Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia will conclude.

School bass fishing clubs and teams nationwide have competed for more than six months earning valuable points at events on different levels nationwide to attain the highest possible ranking they can achieve.  The ACA is currently releasing the latest updated points standings for college fishing’s only all-encompassing National Rankings system.

In this second article of a three-part series, the Association of Collegiate Anglers will look at the teams ranked 6^th-15^th in the Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia.

Here is a look at the teams currently ranked 6^th – 15^th:

6) Tarleton State University – Pre-Season Rank: 20

7) Wabash Valley College – Pre-Season Rank: 14

8) Adrian College – Pre-Season Rank: 5

9) LSU-Shreveport – Pre-Season Rank: 9

10) Drury University – Pre-Season Rank: 11

11) Campbellsville University – Pre-Season Rank: 7

12) Auburn University – Pre-Season Rank: 4

13) Kentucky Christian University – Pre-Season Rank: 22

14) Dallas Baptist University – Pre-Season Rank: 19

15) Southwestern Michigan College – Pre-Season Rank: 33

Nine out of the 10 teams highlighted in this rankings reveal were voted inside of the Top 25 during the ACA Pre-Season Poll.  Southwestern Michigan, Pre-Season rank of 33^rd, is the only team in this group ranked 6^th-15^th that wasn’t ranked inside of the Top 25 entering this campaign.  Five of these 10 teams that were picked in the Top 25 via the Pre-Season Poll are outperforming their Pre-Season ranking.  Those teams are Tarleton State University, Wabash Valley College, Drury University, Kentucky Christian University, and Dallas Baptist University.  Three teams are underperforming compared to their Pre-Season ranking.  LSU-Shreveport, who was voted 9^th entering this year, is currently ranked 9^th.

None of the teams currently ranked 6^th-15^th in the Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia have ever won this prestigious title.

The group of 10 teams in this rankings reveal has experienced great success this season.  Tarleton State University, at 6^th overall, is the highest ranked team featured in this article.  Anglers representing Tarleton State earned over 3,000 points at each of the two ACA double points events contested this past fall.  Drury University is the only other team in this particular rankings reveal to earn over 3,000 points at each fall event on the Bass Pro Shops Collegiate Bass Fishing Series.

Tarleton State was also among the highest points earning teams at the MLF College Series event on Sam Rayburn Reservoir.  The team from Stephenville, TX amassed 2,360 points at the event in Texas.  Wabash Valley College, currently ranked 7^th, had a team finish in 2^nd and earned 2,370 points at Sam Rayburn.  LSU-Shreveport was also part of the group to earn over 2,000 points at Sam Rayburn.  Two Top 10 finishes at that MLF College Series event have helped to propel LSU-Shreveport to a National Ranking of 9^th.

All 10 of the teams currently ranked 6^th-15^th in the Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia finished the 2023-24 race last season inside of the Top 25.  In particular, one finished in the Top 5 and a total of four ended the season inside of the Top 10.  Less than 5,000 points separate 10^th place from 1^st in the National Rankings.  This group of 10 programs is comprised of teams that can make a big push towards the top of the rankings by the end of this season.