CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Three patterns helped Western Carolina University prevail despite adverse weather conditions and a competitive field in the Bassmaster College Series Eastern Regional tournament on Lake Norman. Austin Neary and Alex Frazier targeted spawning fish while also fishing nearby docks and rocks with dropshots and jerkbaits to bring in a three-day total of 42 pounds, 6 ounces and take the Eastern Regional title.
“All of our areas setup up for all three patterns,” Neary said. “It would be like a windy marina, so we could drop shot and jerkbait and then catch spawners off bed.”
As practice for the Eastern Regional came to a close, fish flooded the banks in an attempt to find a mate and make a bed to spawn. The first day of competition on Thursday saw partly cloudy skies and warm temperatures and the spawn and dock bite were on. The second day, Friday, brought a nasty cold front to the area and the jerkbait bite picked up with a few spawners still being picked off. Then on the final day Saturday the temperatures dropped to the 30s, and it took all three patterns for Western Carolina to pull off the win.
After B.A.S.S. College Tournament Manager Hank Weldon noted the excitement that Neary exhibited when coming to the stage and mentioned Frazier must be the calmer of the two, Frazier stated, “I could probably run through a brick wall right now.” The excitement was evident from both Neary and Frazier as the two took the Eastern Regional in Frazier’s first at bat and what would have been Neary’s final college event had they not qualified for the Bassmaster College Series National Championship with their win.
“Financially, I had already decided I wouldn’t be able to make it to the Wild Card, so this was it for me,” Neary said of the June event that will qualify more college teams for the National Championship.
Bother and sister Chelsey and Kristopher Queen of Bethel University finished second in the event, bringing in 40 pounds, 11 ounces over the course of three days.
“I’m excited we’re going to the National Championship,” Chelsey said. “I hate we lost out to these guys, but I want to congratulate them. But I guarantee you nobody had more fun than we did out on the water”
The Queens are the first brother-sister team to ever qualify for the National Championship. Finishing third and also qualifying for the National Championship were Day 2 leaders from Appalachian State University, Kelly Johnson and Jeremy Gilley, who brought in 39-14 for three days. The remainder of the Top 17 teams from the Eastern Regional will also move on to the National Championship to be held later this summer on a body of water to be announced within the next few weeks.
The Livingston Lures Leader award at the Eastern Regional went to Appalachian State University’s Johnson and Gilley for leading on Day 2. Cole Blythe’s 6-pound, 10-ounce big bass from Day 1 earning University of North Carolina-Charlotte the Carhartt Big Bass honors for the event. UNCC’s Blythe and John Auten also won the Bass Pro Nitro Big Bag award for the event with their Day 1 single-day weight of 16 pounds, 12 ounces.
Bassmaster College Series - Eastern Regional
3/26/2015 - 3/28/2015 Lake Norman - Blythe Landing - Charlotte, NC
STANDINGS BOATER DAY 3
Name # Fish # Live Lbs - Oz # Fish # Live Lbs - Oz
1 Austin Neary - Alex Frazier Western Carolina University 5 5 13-13 15 15 42- 6
2 Chelsey Queen - Kristopher Queen Bethel University 5 5 13-12 15 15 40-11
3 Kelly Johnson - Jeremy Gilley Appalachian State University 5 5 10-15 15 15 39-14
4 Edward Rude III - Matthew Combs West Virginia University 5 5 11- 5 15 15 39- 5
5 Zachary Blalock - Mike Corbishley East Carolina University 5 5 10-14 15 15 39- 5
6 Carson Orellana - Strayer University 5 5 12- 2 15 15 37- 2
7 Jay Emmert - Christian Peake U. of Tennessee 5 5 9- 4 15 15 35- 1
8 Grayson Barber - Hiroto Kinoshita NC State University 5 5 9- 7 15 15 34-15
9 Zander Monk - Taylor Thomas UNC Charlotte 5 5 9-13 15 15 34-12
10 Hunter Hill - Ethan Howell Appalachian State University 5 5 8-14 15 15 34- 3
11 Cole Blythe - John Auten UNC Charlotte 5 5 8- 5 15 15 34- 2
12 Jonathan Peck - Devin Wallis Bryan College 5 5 9-14 15 15 33-10
13 Jake Whitaker - Andrew Helms UNC Charlotte 5 5 8- 7 15 15 32-10
14 John Garrett - Brian Pahl Bethel University 5 5 9-11 15 15 32- 6
15 Zack Bodford - Matthew Hinkle NC State University 5 5 9- 5 15 15 31-13
16 Matt Allen - Zach Youngblood Tennessee Tech University 5 5 9- 1 15 15 31-12
17 Benjamin Freeman - Dillon McGee Bethel University 2 2 3-14 12 12 28- 5
18 Jacob Cooper - Cody Spears PHCC Fishing Team 1 1 1- 5 11 11 27-15
19 John Little - Kaleb Jessee NC State University 1 1 1- 6 11 11 24- 8
20 Brent Werts - Spencer Waldrop Clemson University 0 0 0- 0 10 10 22-11
21 Caleb Baker - Mack Hicks Alice Lloyd College 10 10 22- 7
22 Kenneth Ellington - Anderson Tran UNC Chapel Hill 10 10 22- 4
23 Andrew Kiser - Charles Kelly Clemson University 10 10 22- 3
24 Sam Glenn - Alan Price UNC Charlotte 10 10 22- 2
25 Chase Johnson - Eric Leifheit East Carolina University 10 10 22- 1
26 Dalton Wilson - Randall Morris Bethel University 10 10 21-12
27 Greg Burchfield - Taylor Burke NC State University 10 10 21- 8
28 Ethan Ingle - Will Miller University of South Carolina 10 10 21- 5
29 Lance Freeman - Seth Brock Murray State University 10 10 21- 4
30 Austin Moore - Ryan McLamb UNC Greensboro 10 10 20-15
31 Alex Thornton - Ryan Rainey UNC Greensboro 10 10 20-15
32 Ronnie Moore - TJ Chafatelli East Carolina University 10 10 20-13
33 Trey Joyce - Ross Adams PHCC Fishing Team 10 10 20-13
34 Caleb Nuckolls - Adam King Western Carolina University 10 10 20-13
35 Hunter Louden - Mekiah Jack Bethel University 10 10 20- 7
36 Tyler Chumley - Dylan Pritchett Bryan College 10 10 20- 6
37 Austin Frazier - Jesse Cates UNC Greensboro 10 10 20- 3
38 Tyler Thomasson - Josh Cannon Western Carolina University 10 10 20- 1
39 Brandon Bryant - Sam Carris Tennessee Tech University 10 10 19-15
40 Jeffry Endly - Jacob Meadows University of Louisville 10 10 19-12
41 Ethan Snyder - Shaw Owens Eastern Kentucky University 10 10 19-10
42 Alec Lower - Mark Turner NC State University 10 10 19- 9
43 Jordan Wise - David Mulac East Carolina University 10 10 19- 7
44 Zachary Castano - Nick Schultz UNC Charlotte 10 10 19- 7
45 Bentley Manning - John Berry Tennessee Tech University 10 10 19- 6
46 Hunter Fulcher - Nathan Sheehan University of KY 10 10 19- 4
47 Makenzie Henson - Brett Webster University of North Alabama 10 10 19- 4
48 Patrick Williford - Briggs Kennington Clemson University 10 10 19- 1
49 Bradley Hall - Kaleb Whitaker Eastern Kentucky University 10 10 18-13
50 Joseph Huggins - Ty Dyer Bethel University 10 10 18-13
51 Tucker Youngblood - Cody Thomas Bryan College 8 8 18-12
52 Blake Welch - Ricky Harris Bethel University 10 10 18-12
53 Luke Taylor - Lynchburg College 8 8 18- 9
54 Taylor Godsey - Benjamin Haynes Christopher Newport University 10 10 18- 2
55 Charlie Sipe - Appalachian State University 10 10 18- 2
56 Daniel Holt - Jacob Blocker Tennessee Tech University 10 10 18- 1
57 Chris Phinney - Bailey Abernathy East Carolina University 10 10 18- 0
58 Hunter Altice - Brandon McAlexander PHCC Fishing Team 10 10 17-13
59 Shawn Callahan - Brian Sweeney University of South Carolina 10 10 17- 4
60 Wade Brown - Austin Wilson University of Louisville 10 10 16-12
61 Frank Ashley - Austin Robinson UNC Wilmington 8 8 16- 8
62 Jarrett Dickens - Trevor Bates Tennessee Tech University 10 10 16- 7
63 Brandon Smith - Bobby Thomas University of Louisville 9 9 16- 6
64 Shawn Combs - Bronson Jones Georgetown College 10 10 16- 5
65 Brandon Black - Thomas Matthews University of West Georgia 10 10 16- 4
66 Cain Ammons - Brett Graves Tri-County Community College 8 8 15-15
67 Jacob Meade - Alex Hauser Virginia Tech 10 10 15-15
68 Elliott Roberson - Eli Roberson Virginia Tech 10 10 15-10
69 Ryan Collins - Andrew Day U. of Kentucky 10 10 15- 7
70 Ricky Kassebaum - Sean Snow Virginia Tech 8 8 15- 6
71 Bryce Owen - Dustin Millwood NC State University 9 9 15- 4
72 Elliot Lee - Chris Allen Tennessee Tech University 10 10 15- 3
73 Brian Travers - Justin Patten Liberty University 10 10 15- 2
74 Jonathan Kelley - John Duarte Coastal Carolina University 9 9 15- 0
75 Trey Stewartson - Gregory Callas Virginia Tech 8 8 14-11
76 Ethan Pace - Dominick LeSerra Western Carolina University 9 9 14- 1
77 Christohper Cordova - Aaron Sollenberger UNC Charlotte 7 7 13- 7
78 Kenneth VanSparrentak - Lee Blackmon UNC Greensboro 8 8 13- 0
79 Hunter Alsup - Ethan Cole Tennessee Tech University 6 6 12-11
80 Marty Ballard - Sean Stephenson University of Kentucky 7 7 12- 9
81 Aaron Creech - Dakota Adams Alice Lloyd College 8 8 11-13
82 Cameron Baker - Zachary McGeehan UNC Charlotte 7 7 11- 5
83 Kyle McHenry - Tyler Barnes West Virginia University 7 7 11- 1
84 Joe Maciejewski - Cullen Cash Roanoke College 6 6 10-13
85 Dylan Kear - Robert Gibson Bryan College 6 6 10-12
86 Brandon Kersnowski - Kolton Hawks UNC Charlotte 5 5 10- 6
87 Corey Smith - Cantley Krafft Virginia Tech 8 8 9-14
88 Matt Reid - Cliff Marley Appalachian State University 6 6 9- 5
89 Ryan Suhy - Liberty University 6 6 9- 5
90 Blake Lee - Gavyn Bridges UT Chattanooga 5 5 8-14
90 Ian Seaver - Jackson David UNC - Wilmington 5 5 8-14
92 Conner Fogg - Joseph Sanders Bryan College 5 5 8-12
93 Skye Riggleman - Shane Fetty Liberty University 5 5 8-11
94 Tom Brewbaker - Gettys Brannon University of South Carolina 5 5 8- 9
95 Weston Chandler - Derrick Nobles East Carolina University 5 5 8- 8
96 Chris Fesmire - Cody Aman NC State University 5 5 7-12
97 Stephen Cone - Rockford Wilson UNC Chapel Hill 5 5 7- 5
98 Hunter Johnson - Graham Burke UNC Chapel Hill 5 5 7- 1
99 Logan Brewster - Daniel Lawson U. of Tennessee 4 4 5-11
100 Cody Clark - Lucas Cornwell University of South Carolina 3 3 4- 4
101 Stephen Smith - Daniel Key UNC Chapel Hill 3 3 4- 1
102 Blaine Atkins - Kelcey Atkins PHCC Fishing Team 2 2 3-13
103 Caleb Luzader - Brad Harris Bryan College 2 2 2-12
104 Donnie Miller - Alex Miller Virginia Commonwealth University 1 1 2- 5
104 Tim Painter - Reid McCullough U. of Tennessee 1 1 2- 5
106 Hunter Mills - Nicholas Reschly UNC Chapel Hill 1 1 1-12
107 John Teare - Dylan Jackson Virginia Commonwealth University 3 3 0- 6
108 Jeremiah Duvall - Elijah Peters University of Louisville 0 0 0- 0
108 Dakota Hunter - Matt Magyar UNC Charlotte 0 0 0- 0
BIG BASS Day Name City,State Lbs-Oz
1 Cole Blythe - John Auten Charlotte, NC 6-10
2 Kelly Johnson - Jeremy Gilley Sherrills Ford, NC 4- 8
3 John Little - Kaleb Jessee Lincolnton, NC 1- 6
TOTALS Day # Fish # Live Lbs-Oz # Limits
1 472 472 954- 3 87
2 424 424 844- 0 76
3 84 84 171- 7 16