MSU Bass Anglers team members Brenden Bingham and Hunter McKinley.

MURRAY, Ky. -- The Murray State University Bass Anglers fishing team is making waves in the middle of one of its strongest seasons. The team is ranked second in the entire country as of the latest Association of Collegiate Anglers standings released May 6, ahead of a national championship berth next month.

Taking on fellow universities across the country, the team has competed as far as Wisconsin, Arkansas and Alabama and as close as Kentucky Lake.

One of the team's latest wins took place at a Fishing League Worldwide College Fishing Central Conference event held in April at Lake Cumberland. Murray State University students Brenden Bingham, a sophomore majoring in occupational safety and health administration from Louisville, Kentucky, and Hunter McKinley, a graduating senior from Murray, Kentucky, with a degree in advertising, took home the $2,400 top prize with a five-bass limit weighing 19 pounds and 8 ounces.

That win launched them to a slot in the 2019 FLW College Fishing National Championship set for June 4-6 in Marbury, Maryland.

"Bass fishing is a unique college sport and you may be surprised, but there are hundreds of schools that compete in it, big and small," said team president Nick Montilino, a graduating senior from Minneapolis, Minnesota with a bachelor's degree in business administration. "We travel all over the country and have been to events this year around the entire country. We're looking forward to the national championship -- if we place well, we can finish the year in first place!"

FLW is the world's largest tournament fishing organization, providing anglers of all skill levels the opportunity to compete for millions in prize money in 2019 across five tournament circuits. Headquartered in Benton, Kentucky, with offices in Minneapolis, Minnesota, FLW and their partners conduct more than 290 bass fishing tournaments annually around the world, including the United States, Canada, China, Italy, South Korea, Mexico, Portugal, South Africa and Spain.

About Murray State University: Murray State University affords opportunities for students through a high-quality education with experiential learning, academic and personal growth and the ability to secure a lifetime of success. Since 1922, the true value of higher education has been found at Murray State University, where our commitment is to afford endless opportunities for developing leaders in the community, the country and the world. The University's main campus is located in Murray, Ky., and includes five regional campuses. For more information about Murray State University, please visit murraystate.edu.