FLORENCE, AL (May 22, 2026) – The scales are closed, and results have been finalized as competition concludes for the 2026 Collegiate Bass Fishing Championship presented by Bass Pro Shops.  The Association of Collegiate Anglers’ 21^st National Championship was contested each of the last two days at Pickwick Lake in Florence, AL.  An elite field of close to 220 teams competed both days for more than $30,000 in prizes and contingencies, as well as triple points to count towards the Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia.

Benjamin Travis & Carty Shoen from 15^th ranked Auburn University win the Collegiate Bass Fishing Championship presented by Bass Pro Shops with a two-day total weight of 45.30 pounds.  From 3^rd ranked University of North Alabama, Fisher Heard & Hunter Brewer finish in 2^nd, and Peyton Sorrow & Brady McCormick of top ranked University of Montevallo round out the Top 3.

View the final event standings.

Auburn University anglers Benjamin Travis & Carty Shoen entered the final day of tournament competition at the Collegiate Bass Fishing Championship presented by Bass Pro Shops with the lead after weighing 26.91 pounds on Day 1.  They backed that up today with 18.39 pounds to take their total weight to 45.30 pounds.  That two-day total edges out their closest competitor by just over one pound.  For their victory, Travis & Shoen earn $5,000 along with an additional $1,000 for the ACA logo contingency.  Today’s victory marks Auburn’s third ACA National Championship title in the event’s 20-plus year history.  Auburn joins Bethel University as the only two schools to have won college fishing’s longest-running National Championship event three times.

Finishing the tournament in 2^nd place are Fisher Heard & Hunter Brewer.  Representing 3^rd ranked University of North Alabama, they finished the event with a two-day total weight of 44.27 pounds.  After Day 1 of tournament competition, Heard & Brewer were in 9^th place.  That had them just over seven pounds out of the top spot.  The UNA anglers followed up their Day 1 weight of 22.60 pounds with 21.67 pounds here on Day 2 to jump from 9^th to 2^nd overall.  Along with the $2,500 2^nd place prize, the UNA anglers also earn $2,000 as the highest-placing Yamaha Power Pay eligible team.

Rounding out the Top 3 are two anglers for top ranked University of Montevallo.  Peyton Sorrow & Brady McCormick finish the Collegiate Bass Fishing Championship presented by Bass Pro Shops in 3^rd.  Sorrow & McCormick rallied on Day 2 with what is likely one of the largest moves amongst the entire field today.  The pair was tied for 63^rd after bringing in 16.29 pounds yesterday.  Here on Championship Day, they managed to catch the largest five fish limit of the entire event.  Their Day 2 weight was 27.97 pounds, anchored by the Overall Big Bass for the tournament at 10.09 pounds.  A two-day total weight of 44.26 pounds places them in 3^rd and pays out $1,500 to go with the new Power-Pole for Overall Big Bass.

The ACA National Championship was a triple points event to count towards the Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia.  Bolstered by Sorrow & McCormick’s 3^rd place finish, Montevallo earned enough points to secure its sixth straight title at Pickwick Lake this weekend.  Next week, the ACA will update the points total for this season and provide a full breakdown of how this tournament could impact the final standings for the 2025-26 season in the Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia.

The ACA would like to thank the team at Visit the Shoals and Florence, AL for hosting us this week.  As always, Pickwick Lake proves to be a phenomenal fishery, and the community again continues to provide great hospitality.