WADDINGTON, N.Y. — The Catawba Valley Community College bass fishing team competed against some tough competition this past weekend at the 2021 Carhartt Bassmaster College Series National Championship on the St. Lawrence River.
The Red Hawks fished against 122 other boaters during the three-day event, which featured mostly four-year universities from around the United States.
"I am so proud of how hard our anglers worked just to get to the national championship," said CVCC bass fishing head coach Angela Mayo. "Although we never found the big bites we needed to win, everyone brought fish to the scales and had we had a respectable showing."
CVCC anglers Jeremy Dellinger and Nathan Smith were the top-finishing Red Hawk team at the tournament. The duo caught 10 bass that weighed 25 pounds, five ounces.
"Since it was a national championship, the feeling was automatic different," Dellinger said. "We had the normal goosebumps that we all get before blasting off every tournament, but the national championship just amplified that feeling. I'm a little disappointed in my finish due to some missed opportunities that could've had us placed inside the top 40, but it was a great experience that I'll never forget."
Red Hawks' Spencer Black and Lucas Oliver also caught a total of 10 bass — five each day — and totaled a combined weight of 20 pounds, seven ounces.
"It was a very good experience going to New York," Black said. "We caught a lot of fish, but just at the wrong time. I wish the tournament would have turned out differently, but any time you get to compete in a national championship you know you've done something right."
The third and final Catawba Valley team — Lane Bailey and Justin Eggers — caught seven bass weighing 14 pounds, one ounce.
"New York was a different animal to say the least, but that is why we were there," Bailey said. "You take the best college fishermen in the country, and they go at it for a few days to see who the 'top dog' is. Regardless of whether we did good or not, it is a blessing to get there. I sure am going to miss wearing those Red Hawk jerseys on stage."
This past weekend's tournament was the final for Red Hawks anglers Lane Bailey and Jeremy Dellinger.
Bailey has signed with Lenoir-Rhyne University to continue his academic and athletic career, while Dellinger has signed with Erskine University.
"It was a little bittersweet the last morning at take off knowing that I would not be back in that jersey representing CVCC again, but with that being said, I gave it everything I had and I have certainly cherished my time as a Red Hawk," Dellinger said.
Mayo is proud of all of her Catawba Valley anglers for their performance at the tournament, including those she had the pleasure of coaching one final time.
"The Bassmaster National Championship in New York was bittersweet because it was the last tournament for several of our Red Hawk anglers that were here to start this program two years ago," Mayo said. "I have watched them grow from nervous young freshmen into confident young men fishing for a national championship. I am looking forward to following their progress and seeing their successes even if I'm not looking forward to competing against them."