UC Davis Soil Judging Team proudly competed in Wisconsin

We’re excited to share highlights from the National Collegiate Soil Judging Contest, held last week in Stevens Point, Wisconsin!

The UC Davis Soil Judging Team proudly competed among 27 universities from across the country. While we placed 23rd overall, the highlight of the contest was our 6th-place finish in the Team Judging category (tied for 5th with Purdue University). With just four days in the field to get oriented to Wisconsin’s glaciated soils, this strong result reflects how well our students collaborated and applied their knowledge under time constraints and pressure.

This accomplishment is all the more commendable given the conditions the team faced. During those few days in the field, students worked hard to build their understanding of local soils, all while navigating bouts of rain, winds, and even a tornado warning. Despite the unpredictable weather and limited prep time, they showed remarkable perseverance, focus, and teamwork throughout both the practice days and the contest. We are incredibly proud of their performance - congratulations to all team members on a job well done!

We would also like to express our appreciation to everyone who supported the team. Thank you all for helping make this opportunity possible and create a valuable learning experience for our students.

Thank you again for being part of this journey and supporting hands-on learning in soil science!

With muddy boots and proud hearts,
UC Davis Soil Judging coaches
Ava-Rose Beech, Adolfo Coyotl, Jane Fudyma and Connie Wong
Team member: Max Adams, Linh Le, Patric Murphy, Zach Orlando-Milbauer, Gabe Reeb, Sandra Villegas, and Xincheng Yu