Southeastern Fishing Club moves on to regional tournament
Contact: Rene Abadie
10/5/11
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Members of the Southeastern Bass Fishing Club look over maps in preparation for their upcoming tournament in Somerville Lake near Houston. From left are students Austin Crowson of Colyell, Andrew Cavell, Alan Langlois, and Billy Smoth III of Baton Rouge, and club adviser Jonathan Ambrose.
HAMMOND - For Southeastern Louisiana University students Austin Crowson and Andrew Cavell, studies in their industrial technology curriculum come first. But fishing comes in a strong second place.
Most people don’t associate fishing with a university. But with one group of Southeastern students, bass fishing is a serious hobby that’s earning cash for a student organization and the university.
The Southeastern Bass Fishing Club finished fifth in the National Guard FLW College Fishing bass tournament earlier this year. That effort qualified the club for the regional tournament scheduled Oct. 13-15 at Somerville Lake north of Houston.
Austin Crowson of Livingston and Andrew Cavell of Baton Rouge are the two club members who will represent Southeastern at the regional tournament, which is being sponsored by Texas A&M University. Both are juniors majoring in industrial technology and have enjoyed fishing since they were young.
“I’ve fished before in some smaller bass tournaments, but never one like this; it was all new to us,” said Crowson.
Their fifth-place finish earned the duo $2,000, which was split between the university and the Bass Fishing Club. Winners of the upcoming tournament will receive $12,500 and a new Ranger bass boat. The students’ school would also receive $12,500 in an unrestricted donation.
“The success of these two young men so far and the opportunity to participate in a much larger tournament is exciting,” said Jonathan Ambrose, director of the Southeastern Student Union and adviser to the club. “We’re looking forward to them bringing home more awards in the future.”
Crowson and Cavell, who both work at Bass Pro Shop in Denham Springs, hope their success will eventually grow the club.
“In the next couple of years we want to expand the club. Right now we’re just trying to get a feel for it to see if it is something other students would want to do,” said Cavell. “There are more tournament series that we will compete in to help us get situated, and hopefully generate more interest.”
The championship will be televised worldwide Dec. 18 on Versus.
“It’s going to be a tough competition,” says Crowson. “This is a three-day tournament; the earlier tournament was only one day. We are eager to find a pattern and stay in it for three days.”
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