Dallas Baptist University is excited to announce the addition of the DBU Patriot Bass Fishing Team. Collegiate bass fishing is the fastest growing collegiate sport in the country, with over 150 universities and colleges nationwide, each competing for a chance to represent their school in a national collegiate fishing championship. Most recently, Dallas Baptist University has formalized contractual national sponsorships with Legend Boats and Mercury Marine as the official boat and the official engine partners of DBU. Dallas Baptist has acquired dedicated tow vehicles and boat trailers, which will be professionally wrapped to promote all of our sponsorship partners.
Beginning in the 2011-2012 season, the DBU Patriot Bass Fishing Team will embark on their first season of tournament fishing in the existing competitive collegiate circuits including: FLW National Guard College Fishing Circuit, Association of Collegiate Anglers Boat U.S. Circuit, and the Bassmaster College Bass Circuit. The Patriot Anglers plan to fish between six to ten events this season and will face competition from all over the state of Texas and surrounding states. Competing colleges and universities will look to take home the first place, Regional Championship prize of $10,000 and secure a trip to the National Championship where the grand prize is $50,000.
Dallas Baptist University is located in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, with a current enrollment of approximately 5,500 students. As a Christ-centered institution, every class and every discipline taught at DBU provides a unique opportunity to explore knowledge within a biblical framework. This approach gives students the freedom to explore a variety of philosophies and compare them to Christian beliefs and allows academic inquiry to flourish. By integrating Christian faith and academic learning, DBU challenges students to permeate all areas of their lives with their faith in Christ. The goal of this integration is to develop the whole person – mind, body, and spirit.
Dallas Baptist offers a variety of Christian Leadership and Academic Honors scholarship opportunities for high school and transfer students in which all of our Patriot Anglers will have the opportunity to earn. This is an incredible way for these students to further their educational pursuits through financial support for a sport they thoroughly enjoy. DBU will engage in recruiting student-anglers from across the country to the program and will have these scholarships available to those who qualify.
DBU is recognized nationally in athletics and competes at the NCAA Division I level in baseball and NCAA Division II in men’s basketball, cross country, track and field, women’s volleyball, women’s soccer, men and women’s golf, and men’s and women’s tennis. Patriot Baseball, as a Division I Independent, won the 2011 Fort Worth Regional Championship, advancing to the 2011 Super Regional Championship against the University of California. Division II sports compete as an affiliate member of the Heartland Conference. Along with bass fishing, DBU sponsors competitive intercollegiate club sports in: swimming, hockey, cheerleading, and drill/dance. DBU Patriot Athletics is also an affiliate member of the National Christian Collegiate Association of America (NCCAA) and competes in their national championships each year.
The DBU Patriot Bass Fishing program has financial and administrative support from University President Dr. Gary Cook, Executive Vice President Dr. Blair Blackburn, as well as other athletic administrative and faculty representatives. Blackburn stated about the program, “This level of commitment from the University underscores our vision for the initial success of the program, as well as our strategic plan for continued growth and development to ensure championship success.”
Dallas Baptist University is proud to partner with ex-professional angler and Dallas resident, Scott Darragh. Darragh was the 2003 co-angler champion at Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway and has numerous top-ten finishes on B.A.S.S., FLW, and other professional fishing circuits. Darragh serves an advisor to Patriot Bass Fishing and provides direction and instruction to DBU Patriot Anglers. “After having fished on the professional circuits for more than 20 years and fishing with some of the greatest anglers in the world, I am honored for the opportunity to share my knowledge with the anglers of the DBU Patriot Bass Fishing Team,” shared Darragh.
For more information about Dallas Baptist University’s Patriot Bass Fishing Team or sponsorship opportunities, please contact DBU’s Assistant Director of Athletics, Connor Smith, at connors@dbu.edu or by phone at 214.333.5324.
ABOUT DALLAS BAPTIST UNIVERSITY Dallas Baptist University is a comprehensive Christ-centered university dedicated to producing servant leaders through the integration of faith and learning. With an enrollment of 5,470 students and its main campus located in the foothills of southwest Dallas, and academic centers located in Plano, the Hurst-Colleyville area, and in Mansfield, DBU offers 67 undergraduate majors, 22 graduate degrees in a variety of fields, 38 dual-degree programs, and two doctoral programs—a Ph.D. in Leadership Studies and Ed.D. in Educational Leadership. DBU provides nationally recognized programs in adult education and online education. More information about Dallas Baptist University can be found at www.dbu.edu or by calling 800-460-1DBU or 214-333-5360.
