The Association of Collegiate Anglers Announces Top 25 for Its Annual Pre-Season Poll
With the start of a new school year comes the beginning of another race among the top college bass fishing teams for the Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia. 2026-27 will mark the 16th season for college fishing's only all-encompassing National Rankings system that combines top finishes on the water from Association of Collegiate Anglers, Bassmaster College Series and the Major League Fishing series. In addition, there are several school-run events that also help schools earn points towards the final rankings. Ahead of its first double points event of a new season this weekend, the Association of Collegiate Anglers is announcing the results to its sixth annual Pre-Season Poll.
The poll consists of voting contributed by top coaches, schools, media personnel, and fishing industry personalities with experience in college fishing. Here is a look at the Top 25 teams entering the new season, as ranked by the groups mentioned above:
- Carson-Newman University
- University of Montevallo
- Lander University
- McKendree University
- Blue Mountain Christian University
- University of North Alabama
- Wabash Valley College
- LSU-Shreveport (T-8)
- Adrian College (T-8)
- Campbellsville University
- Auburn University
- Drury University
- Emmanuel University
- Tarleton State University
- Bethel University
- Troy University
- Murray State College
- Kentucky Christian University
- Murray State University
- University of Tennessee (T-20)
- Bryan College (T-20)
- Texas A&M University
- University of Alabama
- USC-Union
- Catawba Valley C.C.
2026 marks the sixth year in which the ACA has conducted its annual Pre-Season Poll. 16 of the teams in this year's poll have been ranked in the Top 25 since the inception of the Pre-Season Poll back in 2021. Adrian College has been ranked in the Top 10 at the beginning of each year, and three schools have been in the Top 5 of every poll: Carson-Newman University, McKendree University, and the University of Montevallo.
Prior to this year's Pre-Season Poll, Montevallo had been selected number one four times (2021, 2022, 2024, 2025) and Auburn was chosen at the top once (2023). 2026 marks the first time in which Carson-Newman has been voted as the number one team in the ACA's annual Pre-Season Poll.
Entering the 2026-27 Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia, two teams were selected in the Top 25 of the Pre-season Poll for the first time. Texas A&M checks in at 22nd, and USC-Union has been picked 24th.
The Pre-Season Poll is a strong indicator for future success throughout an upcoming season. In this year's Pre-Season Poll are 13 of the past 15 winners for the Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia.
24 of the 25 programs in this season's Pre-Season Poll are set to compete in the Bass Pro Shops Big Bass Bash presented by Berkley. The ACA will announce the first official points standings for this season next week, following the conclusion of its double points tournament at Kentucky Lake.