Team USA celebrates a gold medal win in the Pan-American Black Bass Championship on the Saint John River in New Brunswick, Canada. Emily Freeman, Murray State Bass Fishing Team member and biology graduate student from Ozark, Missouri, helped propel the team to victory, and is pictured second from right.
Murray, Ky–Emily Freeman, a Murray State Bass Fishing Team member and biology graduate student from Ozark, Missouri, recently helped propel Team USA to a gold medal in the Pan-American Black Bass Championship on the Saint John River in New Brunswick, Canada, with teammate Rhonda Pitts.
Ten teams competed in the competition: USA, China, Canada, Mexico, Dominican Republic, Colombia, Puerto Rico, Costa Rica and two Native American teams: Turtle Island and Wolastoqey. This was the first year an all-female team was represented.
Team USA took gold, Canada took silver and China took bronze. Team USA consisted of 12 anglers and six boats. The other team members consisted of Bassmaster professionals and Major League Fishing professionals, which are the best in the country, Freeman said.
“It was an honor to fish among some of the greatest in the sport of bass fishing, and I also looked up to many of them,” said Freeman.
The other team members included Jacob Wheeler, Scott Martin, Brett Carnright, Nick Hatfield, Alec Morrison, Trey McKinney, Tyler Williams, Joey Cifuentes, Josh Weaver and Ryan Latinville. Taking the team’s top four combined weights of a five fish limit over two days determined the tournament winner.
“This was a fantastic opportunity for female anglers to take part in showcasing the international sport of bass fishing,” said Freeman. “I represented not only the nation but also all female anglers worldwide and the Murray State Bass Fishing team. I grew up with a background in fishing, and fishing in high school was an excellent place to gain the confidence to fish in college. However, college fishing was my place to grow and gain connections in the industry as an individual angler. It provides an environment where you can truly develop your passion for being an angler and compete at the highest level, not only at a national level but also at the international level. The Murray State Bass Team welcomed female anglers into the sport with open arms and allowed doors to open for me. I wouldn’t be where I am today if I didn’t have the opportunity to compete at the collegiate level.”