The Ranger Cup University Challenge is one of the most prestigious contingency programs in college fishing. All year long, Ranger Cup University anglers compete on the college circuit for the chance to earn an opportunity to participate in the all-expense paid, made for tv event. The 2019 qualifiers were Adam Puckett & Blake Albertson from Murray State University, and Cole Floyd & Carter McNeil from Bethel University. Edging out the team from Murray State by just over nine pounds, Floyd & McNeil claimed the winning prize of $2,000.
“We had a good time down here last year…and came up a little short. So, we came down here with a little fire under our rear end this year, and we were blessed to get it done today,” said Carter McNeil, Bethel University angler. Just last year, Floyd & McNeil qualified for this same event, and competed against two anglers representing Adrian College. Adrian jumped out to an early lead and never looked back, as they bested Bethel by a double-digit margin. This year however, the lake set up drastically different and provided a new set of circumstances for the anglers to break down.
Floyd & McNeil claimed the winning prize of $2,000. Ranger Cup photo
Through the first two updates of the morning, Murray State held an approximately seven-pound lead over the 2019 ACA Championship winners. After receiving that second update, Floyd & McNeil decided to change up their gameplan. “Later on in the day, we ended up making an adjustment. We went and did what we like to do…that’s flipping,” explained Floyd. For the next three hours, the Bethel anglers kept the big flipping stick in their hands and went to work on the Fayette County Reservoir bass. “We went down one stretch and we caught seven nice keepers. There later in the day we caught one close to five,” added Floyd. Once it was all said and done, the two sacked up a total of 40 pounds of bass to edge out their opponent by more than nine pounds to take the title. Read more.
For more information about the Bass Pro Shops Collegiate Bass Fishing Series, please visit www.CollegiateBassChampionship.com.
