When it was announced the Strike King Bassmaster College Series National Championship presented by Bass Pro Shops would be held on Winyah Bay, Murrells Inlet native Andrew Vereen and his Coastal Carolina partner Connor Cartmell knew they had to qualify for the prestigious tournament.
With a three-day total of 40 pounds, 2 ounces, Vereen and Cartmell made their goal a reality and earned the National Championship victory on home waters. They hoisted their trophies in front of a raucous crowd filled with hundreds of their supporters in downtown Georgetown, just a few miles from where Vereen grew up, as well as the school they attend.
“When I was 14, I remember watching it on TV and thinking it would be so cool to win that,” Vereen said. “We go to so many tournaments and see the trophies and only one team wins them. To win a National Championship feels like a million…