November 6, 2009
Alexandria, VA - In college athletics, football and basketball reign supreme in televised competition. However, there’s a new sport in town that has begun to crown champions on a field of play far removed from the grid iron or field house – collegiate bass fishing. The sport’s governing body, the Association of College Anglers (ACA), has announced its 2010 tournament season has now grown to five televised events. The schedule includes the fifth annual BoatUS Collegiate Bass Fishing Championship, which returns to Texas’ Lake Lewisville May 24-28, 2010.
"Four years ago when we started supporting the championship, there were about 40 schools with organized clubs and no sanctioning body,” said BoatUS Angler Director Mike Pellerin. “Once this sport starting gaining critical television coverage, its popularity has soared. Today, there are over 200 clubs, with the ACA leading the effort to grow bass fishing at the collegiate level. We have also now witnessed the first college in the nation – Bethel University in McKenzie, Tennessee – to officially classify their fishing team an ‘athletic sport,’ putting it on par with other team sports for recruitment and athletic scholarships. We hope that trend continues.”
The ACA reports that nearly 40 more schools are currently in the process of organizing a sanctioned team. The ACA was formed through an affiliation with the BoatUS Collegiate Bass Fishing Championship and other sponsors. The organization has been made possible by a joint effort among The Bass Federation Inc. (TBF), Careco Multimedia, and a host of supporting companies. The ACA is a "federation" under the TBF umbrella, having its own board of directors, by-laws, and benefits.
The 2010 ACA schedule now includes five televised events produced by Careco Multimedia which will air on the Versus network next year (check your local listings):
- Stephen F. Austin State University Bucketmouth Bass Tournament: December 18 and 19 on Sam Rayburn Lake, TX. This event draws many anglers from colder climates.
- Arkansas Tech University Invitational: March 25 and 26 at Lake Dardanelle, AR. This is a popular Spring Break tournament.
- Southern Collegiate Bass Fishing Series Championship: April 2 and 3 on Wheeler Lake, AL. Hosted by the Auburn University Bass Sports Club, this is the largest regional bass fishing series in the nation.
- Fifth Annual BoatUS Collegiate Bass Fishing Championship: May 24-28 on Lake Lewisville, TX. The largest and most prestigious college bass fishing event of all.
- Collegiate Bass Fishing Open: June 21-25 on Kentucky Lake, TN. Hosted by Paris/Henry County, Tennessee, this is a new event that uses an innovative “team” format, where everyone gets in on the action.
The ACA sanctions additional non-televised collegiate bass fishing tournaments as well. For more information on all of the tournaments, information on how to start a club, or join the ACA, go to www.CollegiateBassChampionship.com.
Provided by the Boat Owners Association of The United States.
