UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Students from Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences are starting the year out with wins at two turfgrass industry national competitions.
Students in the college’s four-year bachelor’s degree program in turfgrass science and two-year golf course turfgrass management program can compete against those from other universities in knowledge-based competitions. The competitions are held at the Sports Field Managers Association and the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America annual conferences and trade shows.
For both events, teams of up to four undergraduates participate in exams that cover various aspects of turf management, including turfgrass identification, soil science, irrigation and pest management.
In January, five Penn State teams traveled to Palm Springs, California, for the Sports Field Managers Association Student Challenge. Dianne Petrunak, academic adviser for the turfgrass science major, noted that participation in the Student Challenge is important for many reasons. The conference includes educational sessions, a trade show, hands-on seminars and networking events for sports turf professionals.
During the contest, teams answer questions about turfgrass and sports field management. Questions cover subjects such as identifying turfgrass species, insects and diseases, baseball field dimensions, and irrigation system troubleshooting.
Two of Penn State’s teams took home the top prizes at the Student Challenge.
The first-place team comprised turfgrass science students Ryan Daub, Aidan Huedepohl, Joseph Lofland and Kyler McGowan. The second-place team included Ian Bowes, Wilson Kreitz, Carter Marshall and Ben Wagner. The remaining teams in the four-year program division placed 17th and 20th. One team from the two-year golf course turfgrass management program also placed fourth in its division and 15th overall.