National Guard FLW College Fishing Southern Conference marches to Toledo Bend

Final qualifying event to be held June 2

MANY, La. – National Guard FLW College Fishing is headed to Toledo Bend June 2 for the final qualifying event in the Southern Conference. Forty college teams will be competing for a top award of $5,000 and a berth in the Southern Conference Championship tournament.

“There is a ton of grass and hydrilla deep,” said FLW pro Cody Bird of Granbury, Texas. “A drought really changes a lake, and now that water levels have returned to normal Toledo Bend is full of deep grass and vegetation. There is also a ton of cotton willow providing even more cover for the bass.

“I would recommend using crankbaits, Carolina rigs and big jigs in the grass,” Bird continued. “This tournament will either be won off of structure or flipping the grass. Young anglers should fish their strength. Toledo Bend is a big lake with a lot of fish. It should be a really fun tournament for them.”

Anglers will take off from Cypress Bend Park located at 3462 Cypress Bend Drive in Many, La., at 6:30 a.m. Saturday. Weigh-in will also be at the marina beginning at 1:30 p.m. Takeoff and weigh-in are free and open to the public.

Schools competing in the Toledo Bend tournament, hosted by the Sabine-Parish Tourist Commission & Sabine River Authority, include:

Angelo State – Josh Seale, San Angelo, Texas, and Ryan Ward, Big Spring, Texas

Arkansas Tech University – Reagan Moore and Evan Barnes, both of Russellville, Ark.

Baylor University – Joseph Garland, West, Texas, and Brian Bauer, Waco, Texas

Central Arkansas – Robert Bartoszek, Conway, Ark., and Justin Harrell, Mayflower, Ark.

Dallas Baptist University – Jacob Sepeda, Roby, Texas, and Trent Newman, Midlothian, Texas

Hardin-Simmons University – Randy Sullivan, Breckenridge, Texas, and Hubbell Allen, Abilene, Texas

Harding University – Trent Johnson and Ryan Miller, both of Searcy, Ark.

Henderson State – Matt Harper, Jessieville, Ark., and William Reeder, Arkadelphia, Ark.

Lamar University – Danny Iles, Hemphill, Texas, and Justin Royal, Vidor, Texas

Louisiana Tech University – Wade Tracy, Alexandria, La., and Caleb Collins, Monroe, La.

Louisiana State University – Douglas McClung, Gramercy, La., and Mason McCain, Lake Charles, La.

Louisiana State University-Shreveport – Joseph Landry, Shreveport, La., and Gavin Havard, Haughton, La.

McNeese State University – Keith Suire, Jr., Deridder, La., and Andrew Gary, Iowa, La.

Northeastern State University-Broken Arrow – Rod Green, Tahlequah, Okla., and Jimmy Phillips, Wagoner, Okla.

Northeastern State University-Tahlequah – Cale Fulps, Broken Arrow, Okla., and Robert Nicka, Tahlequah, Okla.

Northwestern State – Chantz Wilkinson, Pineville, La., and Mikey Davis, Many, La.

Oklahoma State University – Chuck Major, Tulsa, Okla., and Tripp Elliott, Stillwater, Okla.

Oral Roberts University – Zach Vankeulen, Overland Park, Kan., and Jonathan Williamson, Rocky Point, N.C.

Sam Houston State – Wilson Sartain, Kennard, Texas, and Jason Gunter, Conroe, Texas

Southeastern Louisiana University – Andrew Cavell and Billy Smith III, both of Baton Rouge, La.

Southeastern Oklahoma University – Spencer Barnett, Broken Arrow, Okla., and Jacob Colbert, Allen, Okla.

Southern Arkansas University – James McFadin and Dylan Leverett, both of Heath, Texas

Southwestern Oklahoma State University – Nathan Colwell, Pryor, Okla., and Shane McGlothlin, Anadarko, Okla.

Stephen F. Austin – Eric Warner, Nacogdoches, Texas, and Colby McClary, Sugar Land, Texas

Tarleton State, Stephenville – Colt Farris, Crowley, Texas, and Austin Brown, Pearland, Texas

Texas A&M-Kingsville – Cody Garrett, Kingsville, Texas, and Payne Neessen, Chapman Ranch, Texas

Texas A&M – Cody Collins, College Station, Texas, and Zachary Wymer, Southlake, Texas

Texas A&M-Galveston – Roy Buxton, Dickinson, Texas, and John Wallace, Galveston, Texas

Texas A&M-Corpus Christi – Derek Mangold, Corpus Christi, Texas, and Jonathan Voitle, Magnolia, Texas

Texas State University – David Cosner, Austin, Texas, and Jared Brown, San Marcos, Texas

Texas Tech University – Robert Hawthorne and Jonathon Carter, both of Lubbock, Texas

University of Louisiana-Lafayette – Neil Arnaud, Carencro, La., and Cody McCrary, Baton Rouge, La.

University of Louisiana-Monroe – Paul Clark, Monroe, La., and Brett Preuett, Colfax, La.

University of Arkansas-Little Rock – Jeremy Hall and Trent Gephardt, both of Benton, Ark.

University of Arkansas – Zach Zajicek and Shaughn Reyenga, both of Fayetteville, Ark.

University of North Texas – Jesse Chambers, Irving, Texas, and Sean Watson, Rowlett, Texas

University of Texas – Taylor Sullivan, Corpus Christi, Texas, and Brandon Absher, Gonzales, Texas

University of Texas-Dallas – Adam Hemphill, Richardson, Texas, and Dan Nguyen, Plano, Texas

University of Texas-San Antonio – Joey Mendez, Austin, Texas, and Flavio Robles, Laredo, Texas

University of Texas-Arlington – Todd Fontenot, Arlington, Texas, and Mason Holmes, Kennedale, Texas

Four regular-season qualifying events are held in each conference – Central, Northern, Southeastern, Southern and Western. The top five teams from each qualifying tournament will advance to one of five televised three-day National Guard FLW College Fishing Conference Championships, where the first-place team wins a Ranger 177TR bass boat with a 90-horsepower Evinrude or Mercury outboard. The top five teams from each conference championship advance to the national championship.

College Fishing is free to enter and FLW provides boats and drivers for each competing team along with travel allowances. All participants must be registered, full-time undergraduate students at a four-year college or university and members of a fishing club recognized by their college or university.

For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow College Fishing on Facebook at Facebook.com/FLWFishing and on Twitter at Twitter.com/FLWFishing. Visit CollegeFishing.com to sign up or to start a club at your school.

About FLW

FLW is the industry’s premier tournament-fishing organization, providing unparalleled fishing resources and entertainment to our sponsors, fans and host communities. FLW is offering anglers of all skill levels the opportunity to compete for millions in prize money nationwide in 2012 over the course of 191 tournaments across five tournament circuits, each providing an avenue to the sport’s richest payday and most coveted championship trophy – the Forrest Wood Cup. FLW is committed to providing a lifestyle experience that is the “Best in Fishing, On and Off the Water,” through a variety of platforms including tournaments, outdoor expos and the world’s richest fantasy sports game – FLW Fantasy Fishing. For more information about FLW and FLW Fantasy Fishing, visit FLWOutdoors.com or FantasyFishing.com and look for FLW on Twitter and Facebook.