Nicholls Bass Federation hosts successful tournament

The Nicholls State University bass fishing team didn’t win its home tournament.

But they put on one heck of an event.

The Colonels successfully hosted the Carhartt Bassmaster College Series Central Regional presented by Bass Pro Shops from Feb. 25-27 on the Atchafalaya Basin.

University of Louisiana-Monroe’s Tyler Stewart and Nick Joiner won the event, weighing 15 bass at 42 pounds even over the three-day fish.

That number easily pushed past the runner-up, 33-pound, 5-ounce pace Louisiana Tech duo Gunner Durrett and Austin Watkins weighed on Sunday at Nicholls State University’s campus.

Stewart and Joiner said they were thrilled to win the event in decisive fashion. Each angler said Nicholls was a gracious host, and provided one of the best tournaments they’d ever attended.

“It was fun – a lot of fun,” Stewart said. “The people here are great, and they gave us a really good time. The fishing was good. It was a challenge, but we’re happy and honored to have been able to come out on top.”

“We had a good plan coming in,” Joiner added. “We felt confident that we could have a good showing. Things went our way, and we’re going to remember for a long time winning this awesome event.”

The event was a showcase of how fast the Nicholls State University Bass Federation has come in such a short amount of time.

Started by Tyler Rivet in 2013, the university-sanctioned club team generated an immediate following.

The Colonels currently have a couple-dozen student-anglers, and the program has ascended to its current position as one of the best in the country.

In 2015, Nicholls made national news when Rivet and his girlfriend Allyson Marcel finished in the Top 3 at the Bassmaster College Series National Championships in Wisconsin.

That showing helped to earn the home tournament for the Colonels, who fished 11 teams in the tournament, led by Matthew Benoits and Matthew LeBlanc, who finished third.

Also in the Top 10 were Rivet and Jess Robertson, who placed sixth and Marcus Kliebert and Francis Robichaux, who were eighth.

Rivet and Robertson were among the early-tournament favorites to bring home the title. But the duo never quite mustered enough weight to be in the upper tier.

“It just didn’t fall our way,” Rivet said. “We worked hard, but we just couldn’t quite make it happen for us.”

But more important than the strong showing was the hospitality the university showed in its effort to host a top-tier event.

Anglers from all over the South said the tournament was one of the best they’ve attended, and they’d gladly come back to a Nicholls-hosted event.

Zach Ziober with Tarleton State University said the event’s hospitality was top-notch.

He and partner Dakota Ebare finished 14th.

“No complaints, man,” Ziober said. “Everything was great. They did a nice job with everything. We didn’t know where we were going before the event, but Thibodaux is a great city. The people are great.”

Final Standings

1. Tyler Stewart/Nick Joiner, UL-Monroe, 42-0

2. Gunner Durrett/Austin Watkins, La. Tech, 33-5

3. Matthew Benoits/Matthew LeBlanc, Nicholls, 31-11

4. Travis Harriman/Chaz Miller, Arkansas, 30-12

5. Brennan Fertig/Evan Cook, Texas A&M, 30-3

6. Tyler Rivet/Jess Robertson, Nicholls, 28-15

7. Bradley Fleming/Clark Mannas, Texas A&M, 28-3

8. Marcus Kliebert/Francis Robichaux, Nicholls, 26-15

9. Adam Forester/Scott McClellan, La. Tech, 26-13

10. Brandon Simoneaux/Colby Ogden, Lamar, 25-12

11. John Authement/Cameron Naquin, Nicholls, 24-4

12. Ronnie Gray/Ladd Owens, Arkansas Tech, 23-6

13. Trent Newman/Nathan Wood, Dallas Baptist, 22-0

14. Zach Ziober/Dakota Ebare, Tarleton State University, 21-13

15. Adam Burkett/Christian Brown, LSU-Shreve-port, 21-6

16. Stetson Overton/Justin Seeton, Tarleton State University, 20-13

17. JP Kimbrough/Jared Rascoe, LSU-Shreveport, 20-12

18. Cameron Gautreau/Andrew Tucker, Nicholls, 17-14

19. Ty Hibbs-Matthew Waguespack, Nicholls, 16-2

20. Tanner Crim, Zach Montalvo, Tarleton State University, 15-12

The following teams fished the first two days, but did not make the cut for Sunday’s finals.

They are listed in order of how they finished in the first two days of the event.

21. Cody Metzger/Micheal King, Northwestern State University

22. Spencer Lambert/Luke O’Neal, UL-Monroe

23. Wyatt Frankens/Hunter Price, Stephen F. Austin

24. Jared Bourgeois/Parker White, LSU

25. Hutton Leppert/Scott Fair, Northwestern State University

26. Josh Bensema/Tyler Anderson, Texas A&M

27. Justin Cooper/Josh Ledet, Northwestern State University

28. Tyler Woods/Robert Tweed, Stephen F. Austin

29. Hunter Prestenback/Breagan Liner, Nicholls

30. Jacob Fournier/Jared Bascle, Nicholls

31. Hunter Freeman/Tyler Craig, UL-Monroe

32. Michael Mata/Dax Baker, Arkansas Tech

33. Jeremy Cooper/Zachary McDill, UAM-CTC

34. Dalton Warrington/Collin McFeeters, Southwestern Oklahama State

35. Colten Hutson/Easton Ramsey, Central Oklahoma

36. Dakota Sparks/Levi Sharp, LSU

37. Zack Remedies/Matt Glad, LSU

38. Jacob Caballero/Thomas Legendre, Nicholls

39. Clayton Godfrey/John-Michael Brattlof, Stephen F. Austin

40. Carson Smith/Malcolm Love, Northeastern State

41. Aaron Belgard/Logan Laprarie, Northwestern State

42. Cameron DeBorde/Cameron Simmons, Oklahoma State

43. Jackson Blackett/Austin Joiner, UL-Monroe

44. Austyn Fowler/Zach Hurst, Tarleton State University

45. Alex Murray/Alex Felder, Southeastern Louisiana

46. Alex Schieman/Garrett Reynolds, Georgia College

47. Phillip Borel/Dustin Nash, Northwestern State

48. Colt Benedict/Chase Winston, Dallas Baptist

49. Jed Hebert/Austin Hebert, University of Louisiana-Lafayette

50. Dakota Cline/Lawson Priess, Stephen F. Austin

51. Jordan Ogle/Chase Arthur, Arkansas Tech

52. Darrell Henson/Brent Rome, LSU

53. Andre Adams/Dustin Robicheaux, UL-Lafayette

54. Reed Foster/Zackery Hines, Dallas Baptist

55. Allyson Marcel/Tori LeBeau, Nicholls

56. Jose Palma/Andrew Madison, Central Oklahoma

57. Jay Lawson/Matthew Anthony, Stephen F. Austin

58. Gregory Green/Thomas Merchant, Northwestern State

59. Devine Deramus/Jeff Ramsey, LSU-Shreveport

60. Garrett Goetee/Grant Pietsch, Texas A&M-Galveston

61. Tyler Wilk/Brennan Soileau, La. Tech

62. Brandon Midkiff/Tommy Wendling, Lamar

63. Mitchell Decker/Chris Bradley, Southwestern Oklahoma State

64. Alex Lamabe/Logan Abshire, UL-Lafayette

65. Damon Martin/Maverick Jaggers, UAM-CTC

66. Blake Crabb/Matthew Williams, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi

67. Bret Boyd/Ryan Tassin, UAM-CTC

67. Gavin Goolsby/Andrew Cumberland, Nicholls

67. Cain Hamous/Lane Possolt, Northwestern State

70. Alec Castonguay/Taylor Barton, Stephen F. Austin

70. Zachary Harrell/Conley Harris, UAM-CTC

70. Brandon Johnson/Thomas Soileau, UL-Monroe

70. Mitchell Mayard/Owen Richard, LSU

70. Tyler Moses/Justin Terrell, La. Tech

70. Daniel Ortego/Justin Mann, UL-Lafayette

70. Oaklin Spier/Sawyer Evans, Southeastern Louisiana

70. TJ Tucker/Hampton Hasek, Arkansas Tech

70. Chris Zins/Nick Gill, Central Oklahoma

The Nicholls State University bass fishing team poses with President Bruce Murphy after the Carhartt Bassmaster College Series Central Regional presented by Bass Pro Shops. The Colonels had three teams finish in the Top 10 at the event, led by Matthew Benoits and Matthew LeBlanc, who finished third.

COURTESY