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WIU Bass Fishing Team members Alex Bouldin and Matt Wolz have qualified for the 2017 FLW National Championship tournament.
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Two Members of WIU Bass Fishing Team Qualify for National Tournament

April 12, 2016

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MACOMB, IL – Two members of the Western Illinois University Bass Fishing Team qualified for the Fishing League Worldwide (FLW) National Championship next year after winning a Central Conference event at Table Rock Lake in Kimberling City (MO).

Alex Bouldin, a junior law enforcement and justice administration major from Girard (IL) and Matt Wolz, a junior fire protection sciences major from Joliet, beat out more than 100 other boats over the weekend. The top 10 college teams qualified for the national tournament in March 2017.

Bouldin has been a member of the WIU team for two years, while Wolz joined last fall. The pair caught five bass for a total weight of 16 pounds and 14 ounces, earning them a $2,000 prize.

Wolz said the WIU pair went into to tournament day hoping to catch enough fish to qualify for the national tournament.

"Alex and I went down there with the goal of making the top 10 cut, but I don't think either one of us pictured ourselves winning the tournament," said Wolz. "It was an unbelievable experience, one that neither one of us will forget. It was a really tough week of practice leading up to the tournament, where a lot of good anglers struggled. I think this week, and everything we both went through grinding it out on the water, showed us that we are able to compete with the best teams in the country at nationals and we are both proud to be representing Western while doing it."


This is the fifth consecutive year the WIU team has qualified a team for a national championship tournament.

For more information on the 2017 College Fishing National Championship visit it.ly/1qKNcjc.

Posted By: University Communications (U-Communications@wiu.edu)
Office of University Communications & Marketing