Texas State Team Weighs 20-Plus Sack On Kentucky’s Green River Lake

Evan Coleman (left) and Sam Stone from Texas State University lead Day 1 of the Carhartt Bassmaster College Series National Championship presented by Bass Pro Shops on Green River Lake with five fish for 20 pounds, 13 ounces.

July 28, 2016

Texas State Team Weighs 20-Plus Sack On Kentucky’s Green River Lake

CAMPBELLSVILLE, Ky. — Sam Stone and Evan Coleman of Texas State University took the Day 1 lead of the 2016 Carhartt Bassmaster College Series National Championship presented by Bass Pro Shops with an impressive 20 pounds, 13 ounces, despite the fact they were soaked the whole day.

“Everything was wet,” Stone said. “It was just pouring down rain.”

But the teammates made their peace with the weather after catching their limit of five bass before 10 a.m. on Thursday on Kentucky’s Green River Lake.

“A front rolled in at 9:30,” Coleman said. “Plus, we’d had a good morning bite. We felt really confident after that.”

Stone and Coleman, who have been practicing on this lake all week, went into the first competition day with a plan but quickly abandoned it when they saw how hard it was raining.

Their newly formed game plan is a secret for now, said the Texas anglers, who are competing for a chance to win the championship trophy for their school. Plus, the best four teams from the championship advance to the 2016 Carhartt Bassmaster College Classic Bracket presented by Bass Pro Shops, Aug. 4-6, on Kentucky Lake in Tennessee. The best angler in that head-to-head competition earns a berth in the 2017 GEICO Bassmaster Classic presented by GoPro — which is in their home state of Texas.

Stone and Coleman had a great first day of practice, where they were catching quality bass. The following two days were rough; they didn’t catch anything at all.

“But then we heard that a three-day tournament was just won here with only three fish for 18 pounds,” Stone said. “That sealed it for us. We knew there were big bass here. We just had to go find them.”

Stone, who is a senior in engineering at Texas State, said he’s not sure if the pair can replicate their Day 1 catch on Friday.

“I have no idea if we can do it again,” he said, “but it sure would be amazing.”

Coleman is laying the groundwork for a future career in fishing, and winning this championship would be a major stepping-stone.

“I plan on becoming a fishing guide after college,” Coleman said, “and I’ll be fishing the Opens for a chance to qualify for the Bassmaster Elite Series.”

The Texas State team is looking forward to Friday, where they’re hoping to capitalize on their lead. But right behind them is Hunter Louden of Bethel University, who weighed in 20 pounds, 6 ounces Thursday.

“I was just blessed today,” said Louden. “I wasn’t really on anything, but I got the right five bites.”

Like the current leaders, Louden experienced a lot of his productive activity around that 9:30 a.m. mark, when the pressure changed with the front.

The rainy, cooler weather proved challenging for much of the field. Of the 89 teams competing, 14 of them posted zeroes. And although Texas State and Bethel had weights topping the 20-pound mark, only eight other teams are within striking distance. Every team from 11th place down weighed in less than 10 pounds.

“This lake can change drastically from one day to the next,” said Lance Freeman, a Kentucky angler who, along with his Murray State University partner Chandler Christian, is in 45th place after Day 1.

“I’ve practiced here a lot, and Green River really can be surprising from day to day,” he said.

Those words are giving some of the other competitors hope. Many are planning to overhaul their game plan overnight and try something completely new for Day 2. It’s critical to right the ship quickly; after the weigh-in on the second day, the 89 teams will be cut to only 12 teams to fish on Saturday, the final day.

“We have the best college anglers in the country here in this championship,” said Hank Weldon, manager of the Carhartt Bassmaster College Series. “They’ve been competing all year, and these are the best of more than 500 teams from 200-plus schools that were trying to get on this stage this week.”

Campbellsville University is hosting the tournament on its campus in Campbellsville, Ky.

“This is a great place and a great community,” said Weldon. “We couldn’t do this without the help of all the volunteers at Campbellsville.”

The championship trophy isn’t the only prize competitors are vying for. The team that leads at the end of Day 2 will win the Livingston Lures Day 2 Leader Award worth $250. Stone and Coleman of Texas State are currently in the lead for the Bass Pro Shops Nitro Big Bag for $250, which will be awarded to the team that catches the biggest limit of the tournament. The Carhartt Big Bass Award for $500 will also be awarded at the end of the tournament to the team that brings in the heaviest bass.

After Thursday, Kyle Alsop and Taylor Bivins of Kansas State University are in the lead for that prize for the 6-pound, 13-ounce bass they weighed in.

“We hadn’t seen a fish of that quality all week,” Alsop said, “so that was definitely a surprise.”

The tournament resumes Friday at 6:30 a.m. ET when competitors take off from Green River Marina, located at 289 Lone Valley Road, in Campbellsville. The weigh-ins will be held daily at 3:30 p.m. ET on Stapp Lawn on the Campbellsville University campus. A fan expo will open at 1 p.m. daily and continue through the weigh-in. All events are free and open to the public.

Weigh-ins will be streamed live at Bassmaster.com each day.

STANDINGS BOATER DAY 1Green River Lake – Green River Marina – Campbellsville, KY7/28/2016 – 7/30/2016Carhartt Bassmaster College Series National Championship presented by Bass Pro Shops

Today’s Activity# Fish Lbs – OzAccumulativeName # Live # Fish # Live Lbs – Oz1 Sam Stone – Evan Coleman Texas State University 5 5 20-13 5 5 20-132 Hunter Louden – Bethel University 5 4 20- 6 5 4 20- 63 Brian Pahl – John Garrett Bethel University 5 5 17- 4 5 5 17- 44 Maurice Hudson – Sean Cummins Penn State University 5 5 16- 8 5 5 16- 85 Thomas Oltorik III – James Oltorik Daytona State College 5 5 15- 6 5 5 15- 66 Kyle Alsop – Taylor Bivins Kansas State University 5 5 13-15 5 5 13-157 Brandon Koon – Kenneth Parks UT Martin 5 5 13- 6 5 5 13- 68 Phillip Germagliotti – Shane Campbell McKendree University 4 2 12- 6 4 2 12- 69 Levi Baker – Bayne Miller U. of North Georgia 4 4 11- 8 4 4 11- 810 KJ Queen – Evan Owrey Bethel University 3 3 11- 8 3 3 11- 811 JP Kimbrough – Jared Rascoe LSU Shreveport 5 5 9- 5 5 5 9- 512 Ryan Hayse – Jake Staley U. of North Alabama 5 4 9- 5 5 4 9- 513 Andrew Mlotek – Calvin Vang U. of Wisconsin Whitewater 4 3 8-11 4 3 8-1114 Jacob Miller – Kyle Waller Ohio State University 4 4 8- 6 4 4 8- 615 Cole Burdeshaw – Travis Culbreth Auburn University 5 5 8- 0 5 5 8- 016 Tyler Rivet – Jess Robertson Nicholls State University 5 5 7-14 5 5 7-1417 Austin Handley – Caleb Wozniak Auburn University 4 4 7-10 4 4 7-1018 Carson Orellana – Strayer University 3 3 7- 8 3 3 7- 819 Josh Bensema – Tyler Anderson Texas A&M University 5 5 7- 3 5 5 7- 320 Patrick Walters – Brian Sweeney University of South Carolina 5 5 6-14 5 5 6-1421 Brandon Simoneaux – Colby Ogden Lamar University 4 4 6-13 4 4 6-1322 Josh Oliver – Chase Chastain Jacksonville State University 3 3 6-12 3 3 6-1223 Austin Niggli – Derrik Starrett McKendree University 1 1 6-11 1 1 6-1124 Caiden Sinclair – Hunter Gibson University of Alabama 5 5 6- 6 5 5 6- 625 Tyler Stewart – Nick Joiner La Monroe 5 5 6- 5 5 5 6- 526 Reed Foster – Zackery Hines Dallas Baptist University 3 3 6- 5 3 3 6- 527 Zachary Castano – Aaron Sollenberger UNC Charlotte 2 2 6- 4 2 2 6- 428 Zeke Gossett – Hayden Bartee Faulkner University 1 1 6- 2 1 1 6- 229 Chayse Freeman – Ryan Shields Wallace State Comm College 5 5 6- 0 5 5 6- 030 Jordan Wise – Chris Phinney East Carolina University 4 4 5-15 4 4 5-1531 Ronnie Gray – Ladd Owens Arkansas Tech University 2 2 5-12 2 2 5-1232 Josh Cannon – Alex Frazier Western Carolina University 3 3 5-11 3 3 5-1133 Austin Chapman – Curtis Lilly McKendree University 5 5 5-10 5 5 5-1034 Justin Singleton – Ryan Stewart Georgia College 3 3 5- 9 3 3 5- 935 Trent Newman – Nathan Wood Dallas Baptist University 5 5 5- 8 5 5 5- 836 Zach Ziober – Dakota Ebare Tarleton State University 3 3 5- 7 3 3 5- 737 Bradley Fleming – Clark Mannas Texas A&M University 5 5 5- 3 5 5 5- 337 John Ledet – Justin Cooper Northwestern State University 5 5 5- 3 5 5 5- 339 Garrett Paquette – Zak Fadden Schoolcraft College 3 3 5- 1 3 3 5- 140 Chris Blanchette – Dylan Allison University of South Carolina 4 4 4-14 4 4 4-1441 Tanner Mort – Austin Turpin University of Idaho 3 3 4- 3 3 3 4- 342 Josh Worth – Kennedy Kinkade Colorado Mesa University 2 2 4- 3 2 2 4- 343 Tyler Woolcott – Cody Wilson Emby-Riddle Aeronoautical University 1 1 4-3 1 1 4-344 Zach Hurst – Austyn Fowler Tarleton State University 1 1 4- 1 1 1 4- 145 Lance Freeman – Chandler Christian Murray State University 2 2 4- 0 2 2 4- 046 Matthew Benoits – Matthew Leblanc Nicholls State 1 0 3-15 1 0 3-1547 Sheldon Rogge – Parker Davis Kansas State University 3 3 3-13 3 3 3-1348 Anderson Aldag – Lee Mattox University of Alabama 3 3 3-12 3 3 3-1249 Nicholas Kirkton – Seth Becker Illinois State University 4 3 3-10 4 3 3-1050 Sam Glenn – Cameron Baker UNC Charlotte 2 2 3- 9 2 2 3- 951 Travis Harriman – Chaz Miller University of Arkansas 3 2 3- 6 3 2 3- 652 Aaron Belgard – Logan Laprarie Northwestern State University 2 2 3- 6 2 2 3- 653 John Davis – Payton McGinnis University of Alabama 2 1 2-14 2 1 2-1454 Mitch Swanson – Thor Swanson Bemidji State University 1 1 2- 9 1 1 2- 955 Shane Haas – Reid Hammil University of Florida 2 2 2- 8 2 2 2- 855 Justin St Onge – Ryan McLaughlin Haywood Community College 2 2 2- 8 2 2 2- 857 John Authement – Cameron Naquin Nicholls State 3 2 2- 5 3 2 2- 558 Charlie Sterrett – Nicholas Schneider University of Illinois 1 1 2- 4 1 1 2- 459 Tanner Malone – Kyle Alford Mississippi State University 2 2 2- 0 2 2 2- 060 Michael Chambliss – Turner Carlisle Columbus State University 1 1 1-15 1 1 1-1561 Austin Butler – Ryan Kirkpatrick Murray State University 1 1 1-14 1 1 1-1462 Travis Bounds – Andrew Loberg Chico State 2 2 1-12 2 2 1-1263 Chase Johnson – Eric Leifheit East Carolina University 1 1 1- 9 1 1 1- 964 Zach Clisch – Adam Neu U. of Wisconsin Platteville 1 1 1- 6 1 1 1- 664 Brennan Fertig – Evan Cook Texas A&M University 1 1 1- 6 1 1 1- 666 Shawn Callahan – Tom Brewbaker University of South Carolina 1 1 1- 4 1 1 1- 467 Ty Cox – Jake Houston Itawamba Community College 1 1 1- 3 1 1 1- 367 Russ Johnson – Hunter Schrock Itawamba Community College 1 1 1- 3 1 1 1- 369 Rudy Directo – Humboldt State 1 1 1- 1 1 1 1- 170 Stetson Overton – Justin Seeton Tarleton State University 1 1 1- 0 1 1 1- 070 Hunter Whitman – Alec Lower NC State University 1 1 1- 0 1 1 1- 072 Steve Nebel – Jared Mataczynski U. of Wisconsin Whitewater 1 0 1- 0 1 0 1- 073 JC Adams – Darius Williams University of West Georgia 1 1 0-15 1 1 0-1573 Gunner Durrett – Austin Watkins LA Tech 1 1 0-15 1 1 0-1573 Chad Matthews – Austin Wingard Auburn University 1 1 0-15 1 1 0-1576 Dylan Brown – Hunter Franklin U. of South Alabama 0 0 0- 0 0 0 0- 076 Garrett Cates – Tyler Nekolny Kansas State University 0 0 0- 0 0 0 0- 076 Adam Deakin – Alex Stuart Colorado State University 0 0 0- 0 0 0 0- 076 Adam Forester – Scott McClellan LA Tech 0 0 0- 0 0 0 0- 076 Jesse Hill – Cody Whisenhunt Jefferson State Community College 0 0 0- 0 0 0 0- 076 Marcus Kliebert – Francis Robichaux Nicholls State 0 0 0- 0 0 0 0- 076 Travis McGuire – Layne Bynum Texas Tech University 0 0 0- 0 0 0 0- 076 Hunter McKamey – Kyle Oliver U. of Central Florida 0 0 0- 0 0 0 0- 076 Luis McMurphy – MJ Vihnanek U. of South Alabama 0 0 0- 0 0 0 0- 076 Zander Monk – Kolton Hawks UNC Charlotte 0 0 0- 0 0 0 0- 076 Dan Scott – U. of Wisconsin Stevens Point 0 0 0- 0 0 0 0- 076 Gunnar Stanton – Northern Arizona University 0 0 0- 0 0 0 0- 076 Ben Stone – Collin Smith Lander University 0 0 0- 0 0 0 0- 076 Jacob Wall – University of Oregon 0 0 0- 0 0 0 0- 0Name City,State Lbs-OzBIG BASSDay1 Kyle Alsop – Taylor Bivins Overland Park, KS 6-13Day # Live Lbs-Oz # LimitsTOTALS# Fish1 219 208 434-10 202 0 0 0- 0 0

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