Auburn Bass Fishing Team wins prestigious School of the Year title

Published: October 28, 2021

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The Auburn University Bass Fishing Team capped a stellar season by reeling in the title of Major League Fishing’s Southeastern Conference School of the Year.

The prestigious title is reserved for the school that earns the most points throughout the season in their respective conference, and points are earned by placement over three qualifying events throughout the season. Auburn’s team finished the season with a total of 1,750 points, beating runner-up University of Montevallo by five points.

“Winning this award is the icing on the cake after an incredible run by our team,” team member Logan Parks said. “The Southeastern Conference is arguably the toughest division in college fishing, and to be able to win that title says a lot about us. I am super proud of this team and all they have overcome this year.”

Auburn cemented its lead in the Southeastern Conference and earned the title after a strong performance in the final event of the season at Lake Chickamauga, Tennessee, on Oct. 22. With more than 250 boats competing, Auburn students Hayden Marbut and Garrett Warren placed 14th as a two-man tandem, and Logan Parks and Tucker Smith finished 15th. The team caught a combined total weight of 34 pounds and 11 ounces.

"Winning the title of Southeast School of the year is a major step in the right direction for our program as we compete against several schools with scholarship teams,” said Warren, a junior on the team. “Our student run team continues to compete at an elite level, and I'm glad that I was able to contribute to this win from our strong finishes at Lake Guntersville and Lake Chickamauga. We earned this title because of our hard work, determination and showcasing our skill sets throughout the Southeast."

The team is no stranger to success. In 2021 alone, the team won all five Southern Collegiate Bass Trail tournaments, held the top three places at the Alabama Bass Nation College State Championship and landed two teams among the top six at the Carhartt Bassmaster College Series 2021 National Championship, with another duo earning national Team of the Year honors.

Even after this monumental achievement, the team is hungry for more. They have turned their eyes towards bigger and better titles and eagerly await future opportunities.

“Our next goal is to win the overall School of the Year for the whole nation,” Smith said. “Winning the Southeastern Conference School of the Year is huge, but winning the National School of the Year would be the cherry on top.”

To learn more about the Auburn University Bass Fishing Team, click here.

Submitted by: Christian Baker

The Auburn University Bass Fishing Team has won the title of Major League Fishing’s Southeastern Conference School of the Year. Pictured, from left, are Hayden Marbut, Sam Hoesley, Garrett Warren, Logan Parks, Carson Maddux, Tucker Smith, Rob Cruvellier and Sam Hanggi.