LEBANON, Ill. – Head Bass Fishing Coach Jon Rinderer announced the signing of Eli Rocha on Saturday, June 28th. 

From Platte County, Missouri, Rocha attended local Platte County High School, where he was a four-time Class 3 all-state honoree in wrestling and won four state medals. He helped lead the Pirates to a second straight seventh-place team finish in the Class 3 Missouri State Wrestling Championships. 

He then signed with Northern Illinois University where he would take a redshirt year before transferring back to the Show Me State and attended the University of Central Missouri and spent a couple of seasons with the Mules on the mats. 

From the bout to the boat, Rocha has been fishing both the KAMO and MOYAK elite series kayak trails as well as an online trail. He has had numerous top ten finishes within the circuits he has participated in. Those events, along with many casual line-castings, brought out his true passion for bass fishing. 

Rinderer gave his excitement on Rocha: 

"We are excited to announce that Eli will be transferring to McKendree to fish this fall. He is a hard worker that is very dedicated and driven to succeed.  His competitive nature and positive attitude will make him a great addition to our program.  We look forward to welcoming Eli and his family to McKendree this fall!" 

UP NEXT

Eight McKendree Angler teams are currently qualified for the upcoming Bassmaster National Championship on Lake Cherokee, Texas, which will be held in July. This Championship will be the first scoring event for the 2025-26 School of the Year Competition. 

With one MLF qualifier left, they have already qualified seven boats for the 2026 MLF National Championship. 
 

Make sure to keep up with McKendree University Bass Fishing on Facebook. 

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