BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — The 55 anglers who are competing in the 2014 GEICO Bassmaster Classic presented by Diet Mountain Dew and GoPro are not the only ones you’ll get to watch cross the Classic stage next week.
You’ll also see 28 young competitors from the Carhartt Bassmaster College Series vying for bragging rights in the sixth annual Bassmaster College Classic.
The college anglers will take to Lay Lake near Birmingham on the final day of the Classic, Feb. 23, and they’ll weigh in prior to the Classic competitors taking the stage for the Super Bowl of Bass Fishing.
This year’s College Classic is a different format than in prior years.
“As the college property has grown, we have seen the need to make this tournament available to more schools,” explained Hank Weldon, manager of the college program at B.A.S.S.
“Now, at each year’s Bassmaster Classic, we will offer one spot to each registered in-state institution as well as the defending champions.
“While this in only an exhibition, this tournament offers as much or more awareness to our college property than any other tournament we conduct because it is in conjunction with the Classic,” Weldon continued.
The University of Oklahoma won the title last year, and it will send students Landon Dixon and Caleb Masters to defend the school’s 2013 championship.
In addition, anglers from the bass fishing teams of huge state universities — Alabama and Auburn — as well as state community colleges — such as Wallace State and Calhoun — will send representatives.
The winner of this year’s challenge advances to the seventh annual matchup in February 2015 in Greenville, S.C.
Keep up with coverage at Bassmaster.com/College and on the College Facebook page, and watch the competitors weigh in live on Feb. 23 at 3:30 p.m. CT on Bassmaster.com.
The competitors are as follows:
Auburn University: Trey Clayton, Timothy Ward
Auburn University Montgomery: Jacob Nummy, Corey Pierce
Calhoun Community College: Nic Davis, Cody Kennedy
Gadsden State Community College: Nathan George, Josh Oliver
Jacksonville State University: Jakarvis Houston, Colby Smith
Northeast Alabama Community College: Hayden Tilley, Trey O’Daniel
University of Alabama: Charlie Hurst, Keith Kirkley
University of Alabama Birmingham: Wesley Minor, Auston Wingard
University of Montevallo: Joseph Fuller, Travis King
University of North Alabama: Wesley Anderson, Cody Harrison
University of Oklahoma: Landon Dixon, Caleb Masters
University of South Alabama: Jennings Earnest, Ethan Wages
University of West Alabama: James Brumbelow, Andrew Warbington
Wallace State CC Hanceville: Ethan Flack, JR Sapp