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Six Bethel University Bass teams headed to Leesburg, Florida last week to compete in the prestigious Bassmasters National Championship.
After three days of fishing, the Wildcats from Bethel would see teammates Dax Ewart and Kyle Palmer bring a five fish limit to the scales each day for a total three day weight of fifty one pounds even. Those fifteen fish proved to be enough to loft the Bethel team to a fantastic three day finish of 5th place in the Bassmasters National Championship.
The tournament started with one hundred and seventeen boats from schools all across America.
Leading up to the championship, each of these teams had to qualify to fish the championship by finishing in the top ten percent of a regular season Bassmasters tournament.
After the second day, only the top twelve highest weighted teams would compete on the third and final day of the event.
Bethel seniors Ewart and Palmer found themselves setting in that number twelve position at the end of the weigh- in on the second day, therefore moving the into the third and final day of the championship.
"With eleven other teams ahead of them, Dax and Kyle went out and worked really hard all day to upgrade with bigger fish," said Coach Garry Mason. "These guys gave it their very best and at the end of the day they moved from the number twelve spot all the way to number five," said Mason. "We are so very proud of these guys and all of the Bethel Anglers who made the championship," added Mason. "With hundreds of schools and universities having either club sport bass fishing teams or a coached program, the sport of College Bass Fishing is highly competitive and just to reach a Bassmasters National Championship is a great honor," said Coach Mason.
The Bethel Bass Team won the Bassmasters National Championship in 2018 and again in 2019 so the expectations for the team was high going into this championship.
The Wildcats now get a few months of much needed rest before the 2021 season starts in February.
Congratulations to all of the Wildcats and a huge congratulations to the Bryan College team for winning their second National Championship.
Mason concluded, "The Bethel University Bass Team would like to once again thank all of the professors and staff at Bethel who support us and help us in our quest each season. We could not do this without your loyalty and support."
