Four McKendree University bass fishing duos competed this past weekend at the Strike King Bassmaster College Series National Championship presented by Bass Pro Shop held here at Winyah Bay. The Bassmaster National Championship field included 120 teams from 57 colleges.
The Bearcat duos that competed in the event were fifth-year senior Trey Schroeder (Crestwood, Mo./Lindbergh) and former Bearcat Tyler Christy (Bolingbrook, Ill./Bolingbrook), former Bearcat Bailey Bleser (Burlington, Wis./Catholic Central) and junior Harmon Marien (Eagle River, Wis./Northland Pines), sophomore Kyle Hopping (Lake St. Louis, Mo./Timberland) and sophomore Jaxon Freeman (Loda, Ill./Rantoul) and senior Trey Budach (Morris, Ill./Morris) and junior Colton Hill (Patoka, Ill./Patoka).
"I am incredibly proud of all our anglers for heading down to Winyah Bay with absolutely no previous experience on tidal water and having a great week," McKendree head bass fishing coach Jon Rinderer said. "I know they all caught good fish in practice, learned a lot, and are looking forward to the challenge again in the future."
Schroeder and Christy were the top finishers for the Bearcats at the event as they recorded a third-place finish in the three-day competition to earn a spot in the College Classic Bracket, which is scheduled for Sept. 30-Oct. 2 at Greenwood Lake in Greenwood, S.C.
At the Strike King Bassmaster College Series National Championship, Schroeder and Christy was the only team in the Top 10 fishing the Sampit River and that paid off as they recorded a three-day total of 36-4 to finish in third place overall. Schroeder and Christy were consistent throughout the three days as they landed 12-14 on the first day, 12-0 on the second day and 11-6 on Championship Sunday.
The College Bracket will be the second one for Christy as he made the event in his first season as a Bearcat in 2018-19.
"We have been in this situation before," Christy said in a release from Bassmaster website. "Just the thought of another opportunity to get back there knowing how much I have grown as an angler in four years is something I have wanted since I made it the first time. I know I am so much better now and now I get one more shot to complete my dream."
Schroeder compared their team's performance on the weekend like trout fishing.
"It was almost like trout fishing," Schroeder said on the Bassmaster website. "You would pull off a little eddy and there would be another one there two minutes later. The biggest key was putting the trolling motor on 8 and getting into skinny water and making a few fish react."
While Schroeder and Christy finished in third place overall, the Coastal Carolina team of Andrew Vereen and Connor Cartmell won the event with a three-day total of 15 fish weighing 40-2. Florida Gateway's team of Jackson Swisher and Seth Slanker finished second with 15 fish for a total of 37-13.
The top three teams, as well as UNC Charlotte's Louis Monetti and Michael Fugaro, who were the Team of the Year, all advance to the College Classic Bracket. The March Madness-style tournament will the winner an automatic berth into the 2023 Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic scheduled for March 24-26 in Knoxville, Tenn., as well a paid entry into the 2023 St. Croix Bassmaster Opens presented by Mossy Oak Fishing.
After the first day of action, Schroeder and Christy were sitting in fifth place with 12-14. In fact, every single one of the 120 boats had fish and a 101 of the boats had their limit.
Bleser and Marien finished in 94th place after a five fish limit weighing six pounds, while Hopping and Freeman caught a limit for 5/15 to sit in 96th place. Budach and Hill caught their five fish limit that weighed 5/10 to sit in 98th place.
Meanwhile, on the second day of competition, the field was cut to 12 teams following completion of the round and Schroeder and Christy made the Top 12 after placing in seventh place after the second day of action as they weighed in at 12-0 and are sitting just four pounds, nine ounces back of the leaders.
In addition to Schroeder and Christy, Hopping and Freeman also weighed a limit both days and finished with 14 pounds, 14 ounces to move up 32 shots to finish in 64th place overall.
Bleser and Marien weighed a double limit for 12 pounds, 12 ounces to finish in 91st place overall, while Budach and Hill weighed in eight bass for nine pounds, three ounces to finish in 102nd place overall.
The Bearcats return to lake on Thursday, Sept. 15 as they compete at the Wabash Valley Collegiate Invitational on Kentucky Lake in Gilbertsville, Ky.
Original source can be found here.
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