Top College Anglers To Compete In National Championship

The Carhartt Bassmaster College Series National Championship presented by Bass Pro Shops heads to Lake DuBay out of Stevens Point, Wis., July 9-11. Here, the 2014 champions Andrew Helms (left) and Jake Whitaker of the University of North Carolina-Charlotte will get the chance to defend their title.

June 25, 2015

Top College Anglers To Compete In National Championship

STEVENS POINT, Wis. — Eighty-five collegiate bass fishing teams will converge on Lake DuBay July 9-11 for the Carhartt Bassmaster College Series National Championship presented by Bass Pro Shops, marking the first time for Wisconsin to host the finals.

The field of qualifiers is the largest in the history of the program, according to Hank Weldon, B.A.S.S. College tournament manager. The anglers represent 60 colleges and universities. The teams qualified for the championship through five regional tournaments and a wild card event.

Weldon said Stevens Point boasts a passionate fishing community and will prove to be great hosts for the college students, many of whom will be fishing in Wisconsin for the first time.

“The fishing in DuBay is reported to be tough, yet we’ve seen some of the anglers practicing showing off some really big bass on their social media feeds,” Weldon said. “It’s definitely going to be a challenging event, but the world’s best collegiate anglers need to be challenged for a championship.”

Leading the championship qualifiers is the team of Jake Whitaker and Andrew Helms of the University of North Carolina-Charlotte, who were the 2014 champions and also qualified through the Carhartt Eastern Regional. They’re the first full team to try to defend their title; other championship teams in the past have been broken up through graduation or other changes.

“This is the point that every college angler wants to get to,” Whitaker said. “For us to be automatically qualified was good, but we wanted to prove that we deserved to be there again. To qualify again and have the chance to defend our title is exciting, but at the same time it’s a hard task to accomplish.”

The full field of teams will compete on the 6,830-acre Lake DuBay on Days 1 and 2 (July 9-10). The Top 5 teams will compete for the national championship crown on July 11. Following the team finals, the Top 4 teams will move on to the bracket format in which they will compete individually for a spot in the 2016 GEICO Bassmaster Classic presented by GoPro on Grand Lake in Oklahoma.

Takeoffs will be at 6 a.m. from the Tiki Beach Bar and Grill (1126 County Road DB, Mosinee, WI 54455), and weigh-ins will take place at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point Sun Dial (2040 Portage St., Stevens Point, WI 54481).

Bassmaster.com will cover the event with live reports from the lake, live-streamed weigh-ins, photos and stories. Follow all of the national championship coverage on social media as well at www.facebook.com/collegebass and by using the hashtag #collegebass.

Local hosts for the events are the Stevens Point Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, Stevens Point Area Central Wisconsin Sports Commission, Tike Beach Bar and Grill, Travel Wisconsin and the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point.

To see all of the national championship contenders, click here.

Below is a complete list of Carhartt Bassmaster College Series National Championship presented by Bass Pro Shops qualifiers.

Southern Regional QualifiersThomas Oltorik and James Oltorik of Daytona State CollegeBaylor Ronemus and Cole Tinsley of Clemson UniversityCJ Knight and Tim Ward of Auburn UniversityCody Spears and Justin Mahon of Florida State UniversityAustin Littrell and Ben Wall of Auburn UniversityPatrick Walters and Josh Rennebaum of the University of South CarolinaMurphy Klumpp and Lucas Brown of Auburn UniversityJohn Duarte and Jonathan Kelley of Coastal Carolina UniversityHunter Gibson and Caiden Sinclair of the University of AlabamaAnderson Aldag and Lee Mattox of the University of AlabamaJosh Oliver and Nathan George of Gadsden State Community CollegeRoss Burns and Richard Nesbitt of Clemson UniversityRoss Dove and Richie Young of Emmanuel CollegeKevin Lucas and Kyle Stafford of University of Central FloridaGrant Galloway and Joe Marty of Mississippi State UniversityJacob Reome and Matthew Garvin of Clemson UniversityTaylor Minick and Micheal Harbach of Valdosta State UniversityFrankie Appaluccio and Logan Shaddix of the University of Alabama

Midwestern Regional QualifiersJustin Brown and Brandon Bissell of Northern Michigan UniversityCade Laufenberg and Wyatt Stout of Winona State UniversityAustin Brimeyer and Anthony Riesberg of the University of DubuqueSheldon Rogge and Lance Maldonado of Kansas State UniversityGrant Ehlenfeldt and Brett Stanek of the University of Wisconsin-PlattevilleCole Atkinson of St. Ambrose UniversityTyler Rocke and Justin Schick of Illinois Central CollegeJared Mataczynski and Steve Nebel of the University of Wisconsin-WhitewaterSamuel Moore and Ross Kellermeier of Bemidji State UniversityTaylor Bivins and Kyle Alsop of Kansas State UniversityJustin Bruno and Brody Anderson of Grand Valley State UniversityTrevor Lo and Chris Burgan of the University of MinnesotaKit Benson and Wes Lashmett of Western Illinois University

Central Regional QualifiersJohn Ledet and Justin Cooper of Northwestern State UniversityEvan Smith and Aaron Sarna of Arkansas Tech UniversityDwight Camp and Jonathan Furlong of Southeastern Oklahoma UniversityBrock Enmeier and Colten Hutson of the University of Central OklahomaAaron Belgard and Logan Laprarie of Northwestern State UniversityTyler Craig and Blake Alford of the University of Louisiana-MonroeTyler Stewart and Nick Joiner of the University of Louisiana-MonroeJosh Bensema and Matthew Mcardle of Texas A&M UniversityColby Ogden and Brandon Simoneaux of Lamar UniversityGarret Lindsey and Clayton Godfrey of Stephen F. Austin State UniversityEaston Ramsey and Chris Zins of the University Central OklahomaJustin Gaskin and James Avant of the University of Louisiana-ShreveportBrandon Koon and Kyle Winstead of the University of Tennessee-Martin

Western Regional QualifiersLaj Tripp and Kyle Sittman of Eastern Washington UniversityJohn Zeolla and Clayton Lauchland of California Polytechnic State UniversityJarid Gabbert and Taylor Throop of Eastern Washington UniversityJacob Wall and Ryan Habenitch of the University of OregonAlex Klein of Chico StateZach MacDonald and Zachary Martinez of Oregon State UniversityTanner Austin and Ethan Clark of Sacramento State UniversityCy Floyd and Travis Opel of Eastern Washington University

Eastern Regional QualifiersAustin Neary and Alex Frazier of Western Carolina UniversityChelsey Queen and Kristopher Queen of Bethel UniversityKelly Johnson and Jeremy Gilley of Appalachian State UniversityEdward Rude and Matthew Combs of West Virginia UniversityZachary Blalock and Mike Corbishley of East Carolina UniversityCarson Orellana of Strayer UniversityJay Emmert and Christian Peake of the University of TennesseeGrayson Barber and Hiroto Kinoshita of North Carolina State UniversityZander Monk and Taylor Thomas of the University of North Carolina-CharlotteHunter Hill and Ethan Howell of Appalachian State UniversityCole Blythe and John Auten of the University of North Carolina-CharlotteJonathan Peck and Devin Wallis of Bryan CollegeJake Whitaker and Andrew Helms of the University of North Carolina-CharlotteJohn Garrett and Brian Pahl of Bethel UniversityZack Bodford and Matthew Hinkle of North Carolina State UniversityMatt Allen and Zach Youngblood of Tennessee Tech UniversityBenjamin Freeman and Dillon McGee of Bethel University

Wild Card QualifiersJoshua Butts and Justin Rivers of Wallace State Community College-HancevillePhillip Germagliotti and Shane Campbell of McKendree UniversityJordan Ledbetter and Trent Robinson of McKendree UniversityLance Freeman and Seth Brock of Murray State UniversityJustin Singleton and Zac Bennett of Georgia College & State UniversityAlec Castonguay and Garret Whitley of Stephen F. Austin State UniversityJP Kimbrough and Jared Rascoe of the University of Louisiana-ShreveportShelby Hutchens and Brian Blades of Stephen F. Austin State UniversityDarrell Henson and Brent Rome of the University of LouisianaDawson Lenz and Evan Horne of the University of North AlabamaEthan Snyder and Shaw Owens of Eastern Kentucky UniversityBrian Eaton and Slade Daniel of the University of Louisiana-MonroeTyler Rivet and Allyson Marcel of Nicholls State University

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