FLW Outdoors Magazine names first FLW College Fishing All-America team - Major League Fishing

FLW Outdoors Magazine names first FLW College Fishing All-America team

Twenty of the nation’s best college anglers recognized for their achievements
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July 14, 2010 • MLF • Archives

MINNEAPOLIS – FLW Outdoors announced Wednesday the first National Guard FLW College Fishing All-America Team. The team, selected by FLW Outdoors Magazine Editor Colin Moore and staff, represents the best of the best among the nation’s college anglers. The list of 20 anglers, headed by the 2010 national champions from the University of Florida, Jake Gipson and Matthew Wercinski, was compiled based on individual efforts and team contribution during the 2009 FLW College Fishing season.

The team, listed in alphabetical order, includes:

2009 FLW College Fishing All-American team

The All-America team is featured in the August/September issue of FLW Outdoors magazine, which will hit newsstands July 27.

College Fishing anglers compete in five divisions – Central, Northern, Southeast, Texas and Western – and fish four regular-season events in each division. The top five teams in each qualifying event advance to one of five three-day National Guard FLW College Fishing Regional Championships. The top five teams from each of those regional tournaments compete for the title of National Guard FLW Collegiate National Champion. The collegiate national champion receives a berth in the Forrest Wood Cup, the world championship of bass fishing, and the use of a wrapped Ranger boat and Chevy truck for Cup competition.

Auburn University student Shaye Baker of Reeltown, Ala., and recent graduate Dennis Parker of Prattville, Ala., have been named to the 2010 National Guard FLW College Fishing All-American Team. This inaugural award, sponsored by FLW Outdoors, recognizes the anglers for the 2009-2010 season. They won first place in the FLW Lake Okeechobee collegiate event, second in the FLW regional collegiate championship and third in the FLW collegiate national championship. Baker will graduate in December with an international business degree. Parker graduated last fall with a building science degree. Pictured, from left, are Baker, Parker, Auburn University President Jay Gogue and club advisor Jann Swaim.

College Fishing events are free to enter, boats and drivers are provided by FLW Outdoors and all collegiate teams receive a travel allowance. Each team that competed in the national championship sported jerseys and fished out of wrapped Ranger boats towed by Chevy trucks for the competition.

Each regular-season College Fishing event boasts a top cash award of $10,000 to be split evenly between the university and the university’s bass-fishing club. Regional events tout a top award of a Ranger 177TR with a 90-horsepower engine wrapped in school colors for their school’s bass club and $25,000 for the school they represent. The national championship awards the top team with $25,000 cash, a Ranger 177TR with a 90-horsepower engine wrapped in school colors for their school’s bass club and $50,000 for the school they represent.

About FLW Outdoors

FLW Outdoors, named after Forrest L. Wood, the legendary founder of Ranger Boats, is the largest fishing tournament organization in the world offering anglers worldwide the opportunity to compete for millions over the course of 189 tournaments in 2010. FLW Outdoors has also taken fishing mainstream with FLW Fantasy Fishing awarding the largest prizes in the history of fantasy sports. FLW Outdoors memberships are available featuring numerous benefits including Player’s Advantage. For more information about FLW Outdoors and its tournaments, visit FLWOutdoors.com or call (270) 252-1000. For more information about FLW Fantasy Fishing, visit FantasyFishing.com.