WAGONER, Okla. – Walking to the podium with confidence as the final team to weigh-in, East Texas Baptist University's
Cason Ragsdale and
Kaden Proffitt won the Abu Garcia College Fishing Presented by YETI National Championship with a final of 43 pounds, eight ounces. Ragsdale and Proffitt led all three days of the tournament holding onto the program's first-ever national championship.
ETBU WEIGH-IN | FOR THE CHAMPIONSHIP
ETBU's
Cannon Bird and
Jacob Keith finished in seventh place with 32 pounds, two ounces as the only program to have two boats in the top 10.
Cody Ross and
Ethan Thurston was the third team to compete at the national championship coming in 32
nd place at 16 pounds, two ounces.
"I am at a loss for words for these guys as they spend countless hours perfecting their skills for moments like this. They had perfection all week during this tournament and for a team to place in first all three days is an impressive feat to say the least. I am thankful for all our sponsors that allow us to represent them and help us do what we love," says head coach
Cameron Burger. "The Lord blessed us tremendously in this tournament and I am so proud of these 'Fishers of Men' standing on what our program means as they show Jesus Christ in all they do. What a victory for the ETBU Bass Team!"
Ragsdale and Proffitt came into the final day with at 29 pounds, seven ounces with a one-ounce lead over fellow East Texas program Stephen F. Austin. As the final team to weigh-in for the day, Ragsdale and Proffitt needed 10 pounds, 12 ounces to be crowned the national champion. As they handed the five-fish limit over, the smiles on their faces lite up with a five-fish total of 14 pounds, one ounce to take the championship by over three pounds from King University's Donavan Carson and Landon Lawson (40 pounds, three ounces.
Both days for Ragsdale and Proffitt were exciting finishing in finishing in first place by an ounce each day. On day one, they posted a 17-pound, nine-ounce (five fish) weight coming in just ahead of Kentucky Christian. Then day two brought 29-pound, seven-ounce weigh-in with an ounce lead over Stephen F. Austin that set up the stage for the final day weigh-in and championship.
Bird and Keith were the fourth team to weigh-in earlier as they caught three fish to finish the tournament at 32 pounds, two ounces for seventh place. Day two helped them move into the top 10 with a 14-pound, eight-ounce total.
By winning the championship, Ragsdale and Proffitt earned a new Phoenix boat and motor package worth $33,500 and a berth as pros in this fall's Toyota Series Championships.
ETBU has been a program on the rise since starting their program in 2017-18 and qualified several boats over the past four years for the MLF National Championships. In 2019 they won the MLF Southern Conference and the following season were the "Team of the Year." The 2021 season brought a MLF Open Championship along with the Bassmaster College Classic Championship leading up to the 2022 MLF National Championship.
