College Bass National Championship Returns to the Arkansas river on Thursday 7-7-2010
gengberg July 7th, 2010
College Bass National Championship Returns to Arkansas River on Thursday
Little Rock, Arkansas -
College Bass, the nation’s premier collegiate bass fishing tournament returns to North Little Rock with the ESPNU cameras for the sixth annual College Bass National Championship Thursday, July 8-Saturday, July 10. More than 60 colleges and universities have qualified for the National Championship and will cast their lines in the Arkansas River for more than $14,000 in scholarship monies and prizes.The College Bass National Championship kicks off each day with the morning launch at daybreak at the North Little Rock Riverfront ramp. The daily weigh-ins will take place at the Academy Sports + Outdoors (6100 Warden Rd. Sherwood, Ark.) at 3 p.m. CT and will be streamed live on www.CollegeBass.com. Two-person teams from each participating school will fish for large-mouth bass 15 inches or longer and spotted bass 12 inches or longer, with a five-fish daily limit. All teams will fish the first two days with the top five teams advancing to day three. Weights will then be zeroed, and the team with the largest one-day total on Saturday will claim the College Bass National Championship title.
“We are excited to return to North Little Rock for the sixth National Championship,” said Rob Russow, College Bass tournament director. “The Arkansas River is a great, but challenging bass fishery which will really intensify the competition.”
Since its inception in 2005, the College Bass National Championship has been the only fishing tournament to air on ESPNU. This season, College Bass will receive extended television coverage totaling nine hours of ESPNU programming. For the first time, all three College Bass Super Regionals will be featured in the ESPNU shows. The East, West and North Super Regionals’ show will air Thursday, July 29 at 4:30 p.m. CT followed by the College Bass National Championship, which will be featured in two shows Friday, July 30 and Saturday, July 31, both at 4:30 p.m. CT. ESPNU reaches more than 70 million households across the United States.
“We’re thrilled to welcome back the College Bass National Championship to North Little Rock,” said Karen Trevino, Executive Director of the North Little Rock Visitors Bureau. “We are big supporters of the sport of bass fishing and this is a great way for us to showcase the world-class fishing here in Arkansas.”
Last year 59 schools contended for the national championship trophy with North Carolina State anglers Will White and Chris Wood tipping the scales to claim the 2009 College Bass National Championship title with a 14.43-pound bag on the final day on the Arkansas River in North Little Rock. White and Wood secured the championship title weighing in 8.2 pounds more than second-place team, Brandon Dickson and Austin Hollowell of the University of North Texas.
Official practice for the College Bass National Championship anglers begins Saturday, July 3 in pools 5-7 of the Arkansas River.
The Chamber of Commerce of North Little Rock and the North Little Rock Visitors Bureau welcome the College Bass anglers to Arkansas with a Hooters’ cookout at the downtown Riverside RV Park Pavilion Tuesday, July 6 from 5:30-7 p.m. CT. Media is welcome to attend.
“The Chamber of Commerce of North Little Rock is excited to again have our city hosting the tournament,” said Bob Major, Special Events Director, North Little Rock Chamber of Commerce. “We encourage bass fishing enthusiasts throughout Central Arkansas to attend the weigh-ins and support this great event.”
Arkansas Governor Mike Beebe will officially kick off the College Bass tournament with a special welcome to the competitors during Champions Night taking place at CSE (the agency that owns College Bass, formerly JM Associates) located at 1200 Scott Street Wednesday, July 7 at 5: 30 p.m. CT. All competitors must attend Champions Night, which also serves as the registration and briefing meeting for the College Bass National Championship. College Bass anglers will also have the chance to participate in a Q&A session with some of Arkansas’ best professional anglers during Champions Night. Champions Night will also be streamed live onwww.CollegeBass.com.. Media is welcome to attend.
The 2010 College Bass Tour consists of three Super Regional events and one national championship. The tour kicked off April 10-11 in Montgomery, Ala. with the East Super Regional. The second tournament stop was April 24-25 in Tyler, Texas for the West Super Regional. Fort Madison, Iowa hosted this year’s inaugural North Super Regional June 5-6.
Collegiate anglers can register to compete in the College Bass National Championship by contacting Rob Russow atrrussow@groupcse.com or 501-372-6544.
For more information, please visit www.CollegeBass.com or find us on Facebook.
College Bass National Championship
Daily Schedule
Saturday, July 3:
* Official Practice begins on the Arkansas River for the College Bass National Championship.
Tuesday, July 6
* Chamber of Commerce of North Little Rock, North Little Rock Visitors Bureau and Hooters cookout for College Bass National Championship anglers at the downtown Riverside RV Park Pavilion from 5:30-7 p.m. CT. Media is welcome to attend.
Wednesday, July 7:
* Champions Night will be held at CSE (formerly JM Associates) at 1200 Scott Street at 5:30 p.m. CT with Arkansas Governor Mike Beebe, local professional anglers and the College Bass National Championship anglers. Media is welcome to attend.
Thursday, July 8 and Friday, July 9:
* The College Bass National Championship begins with all teams launching from the North Little Rock Riverfront ramp at daybreak.
* The daily weigh-ins take place at the Academy Sports + Outdoors (6100 Warden Rd. Sherwood, Ark) at 3 p.m. CT.
Saturday, July 10:
* The top five teams compete on the final day launching from the North Little Rock Riverfront ramp at daybreak.
* The College Bass National Championship final weigh-ins will take place at the Academy Sports + Outdoors (6100 Warden Rd. Sherwood, Ark) at 3 p.m. CT.
About College Bass:
Since its inception in 2005, College Bass has been the pioneer in the emerging sport of competitive fishing at the college level with a nationally televised national championship comprised of a qualified field of student anglers. With more than 220 participating colleges and universities from more than 30 states and Canada, College Bass is a rapidly growing property with a mission of supporting student anglers and bass fishing at the club level. The 2010 season marks the sixth anniversary of the national championship event and will also feature three Super Regional events, an increase from two in 2009. Fans can follow the 2010 College Bass Tour online at www.CollegeBass.com and on ESPNU, which will televise nine hours of coverage beginning next summer.
Sponsors of the 2010 College Bass Tour include Mercury Marine, Triton Boats, Plano Molding Company, Strike King, Ardent Reels, Carrot Stix, Vicious Fishing, Gemini Sport Marketing and Motorguide.
About CSE
CSE, the agency that owns College Bass, is an independently owned sports and entertainment agency, delivering original thinking since 1986. For more information, please visit www.groupcse.com.
Media Contact
Cama Poffenberger CSE 770.955.1300 (office) 404.290.5906 (cell) or cpoffenberger@groupcse.com
