McKenzie, Tenn.- Some athletes dream of going pro in their sport of choice. Others dream of playing golf in the Masters or racing at Daytona or maybe even pitching a perfect game in the Baseball World Series. Some dream of catching a touchdown pass in the Super Bowl.
For a young college fisherman there is only one dream. To win the grandaddy of all bass fishing tournaments, the prestigious Bassmasters Classic.
Out of 51 Bassmasters Classics held since its inception, only 40 men have won the event.
Rick Clunn and Kevin VanDam have each won the event four times. Jordan Lee, Bobby Murray, Hank Parker, George Cochran and Hank Cherry have each won twice.
Out of the thousands of anglers that compete in Bassmasters events all across the nation, only fifty-five win the opportunity each year to get an invitation to fish the Classic.
In college fishing only one angler wins the chance to go fish in the Classic and represent all of college fishing.
On March 4th thru the 6th of this year, Bethel University’s own Tristan McCormick will hold that honor in his hand. McCormick will fish in the Bassmasters 2022 Classic and take his place in the history books as the third college Angler to compete from Bethel University in the event.
“I can’t believe that this is really going to happen,” said McCormick during one interview. “I have watched the Bassmasters Classic my entire life and dreamed of one day getting to step up on that national stage. Now my dream is coming true.”
Tristan won second place in the 2021 Bassmasters College National Championship back in August on the St Lawrence River in Waddington, New York. He then went on to win the coveted Classic Bracket showdown against Auburn Angler Tucker Smith on the Coosa River in Wetumpka, Alabama in October of 2021. That Classic Bracket win punched the ticket for McCormick to advance and compete in the 2022 Bassmasters Classic
“We are so very proud of Tristan and all his accomplishments as a Bethel Bass Team Angler,” said Bethel Garry Coach Mason. “We will be cheering him on during the Classic and wishing him all the best as he competes in the tournament of a lifetime.”
McCormick follows two other Bethel Fishing stars in getting to compete in the Classic as a collegiate angler. Bethel’s John Garrett won the Classic Bracket in 2016 and competed in the Classic in 2017 while teammate Cody Huff won the Classic Bracket in 2019 and went on to place in the top 25 during the 2020 Bassmasters Classic.
Note: Bethel University is the only school to have had three college Anglers win the Classic Bracket and compete in the Bassmasters Classic. Auburn is the only other school to have had multiple anglers with two fishing the Classic.
Bethel has one alumni fishing in the 2022 Classic as well this year as KJ Queen will compete and take his place amount the legendary anglers from across the nation for a prize package of over five hundred thousand dollars’ worth of cash and prizes.
Bethel University has six alumni from its Bass Team fishing professionally to date. They are as follows: KJ Queen, John Garrett, Cody Huff, Carter McNeal, Cole Floyd and Tristan McCormick.