The Annual ACA Pre-Season Poll for the Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia

The first of a three-part feature article series will take a look at teams ranked 16^th – 25^th

San Antonio, TX (8/17/2023) – The Association of Collegiate Anglers, which operates the Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia, is excited to showcase its third annual pre-season rankings for college bass fishing, according to a voting poll of top coaches, schools, media personnel, and fishing industry personalities with experience in college fishing.

This poll is a one-of-a-kind poll, similar to rankings in other college sports, that will help kick off the season-long race for the prestigious Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia title, before the first official rankings are released next week. Today’s article will show teams that were selected 16^th – 25^th in the pre-season rankings.

Dallas Baptist University
Lander University
Wabash Valley College
University of Tennessee
East Texas Baptist University
Kentucky Christian University
Catawba Valley Community College
University of Southern Indiana
Florida Gateway College
University of Alabama

Dallas Baptist University: The first team to be highlighted in this feature is Dallas Baptist University. DBU finished the 2022-23 campaign in 16^th and has been selected in that same spot to start the 2023-24 season of the Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia. The team from Dallas, TX will look to start the new season off strong by defending its tournament title at the first event of the season for the Association of Collegiate Anglers, the Bass Pro Shops Big Bass Bash presented by Berkley.

Lander University: Lander University checks in at 17^th in the ACA Pre-Season Poll for the Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia. Lander has shown steady growth and improvement. Here is a look at the team’s end of season ranking for each of the past six years:

2017-18: 104^th

2018-19: 33^rd

2019-20: 29^th

2020-21: 29^th

2021-22: 28^th

2022-23: 19^th

Coming off of the team’s highest ever end of season ranking in the 2022-23 season for each of the past six years, Lander is the only team from South Carolina to be featured in the Top 25 of the pre-season poll.

Wabash Valley College: Wabash Valley College was voted by anglers, coaches, and media members as the 18^th ranked team entering 2023-24 season. The team from Mt. Carmel, IL finished last season ranked 20^th. Wabash Valley College is a team that first showed up on the college fishing circuit back in the fall of 2020. Since their first year as a recognized team in 2020-21, WVC has finished every season in the Top 20 for the Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia.

University of Tennessee: The University of Tennessee finished last season ranked 21^st and has been picked 19^th in the ACA’s annual pre-season poll. After finishing outside of the Top 20 last year, the team from Knoxville has its sights set on major improvement this go around. “We have been a Top 10 team before and we want to put ourselves back to that,” explained Cody Domingos, University of Tennessee angler. “For this upcoming year, we want to finish within the Top 10. With this group of anglers, we all know it’s very possible and want to continue to prove ourselves through next season.”

East Texas Baptist University: The 20^th ranked team in the pre-season poll for the 2023-24 Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia is East Texas Baptist University. This is four spots higher than the team’s end-of-season ranking last year, 24^th. ETBU is the second team from Texas to be highlighted in this feature, and one of three schools from the lone star state to be voted into the Top 25.

Kentucky Christian University: Kentucky Christian University has been picked 21^st in the ACA Pre-Season Poll to start the 2023-24 season. After finishing the 2022-23 season ranked 17^th, KCU is looking to make a major jump this season. “Realistically, I think a Top 10 is possible for our team next year because of the sheer numbers we will have,” explained Jonathan Fraley, KCU angler. “That will allow the team to spread around all the events to get the most points possible.”

Catawba Valley Community College: Catawba Valley Community College’s highest-ever finish in the Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia came during the 2021-22 campaign, when the team finished 15^th. Coming off of a 18^th place finish last season, CVCC has been picked 22^nd to start the new season. CVCC is the only school from North Carolina to be selected inside of the Top 25.

University of Southern Indiana: For the first time in its program’s history, the University of Southern Indiana has been voted in the Top 25 of the ACA’s annual pre-season rankings. Located in Evansville, IN, USI’s highest-ever end of season ranking in the Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia is 28^th (2020-21). Like CVCC ahead of them in 22^nd, the University of Southern Indiana is the only team from its home state to be represented amongst the Top 25.

Florida Gateway College: The 2022-23 season marked Florida Gateway College’s highest-ever end-of-season ranking in the Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia, 25^th. Located in Lake City, FL, Florida Gateway College has been picked 24^th to begin the new season. Florida Gateway College is the highest-ranked team in the ACA Pre-Season Poll from the state of Florida.

University of Alabama: The final team to be highlighted in this rankings reveal for the annual ACA Pre-Season Poll is the University of Alabama. After finishing the 2022-23 season ranked 30^th, Alabama has been selected by anglers, coaches, and media members as the 25^th ranked team entering the 2023-24 season. The University of Alabama is the first past winner of the Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia to be highlighted in this year’s pre-season Top 25. Alabama won college fishing’s most prestigious title in 2016, as they finished the season ranked number one.