04/09/2003

AU Team Claims National Soil Judging Championship Title

AUBURN, Ala. — The Auburn University Soil Judging Team had to get down and dirty to do it, but when the competition was over, the six-member crew had beaten out 22 teams from across the country to claim the title as the 2003 National Collegiate Soil Judging Champions.

The victory at the national showdown at Texas A&M University in early April was the first for an Auburn soil-judging team since 1986 and the first since 1989 for a team from the Southeastern region. Team members, all College of Agriculture undergraduates in agronomy and soils, competed individually and as a team to win the honor.

Team members are Stan Usery of Athens, Christina van Santen of Auburn and Deana Lasater of Hazelgreen, all seniors in agronomy; junior Ellen Knight of Wadley; and sophomores Bryan Stone of Hartselle and Brandon Dillard of Hartford. Joey Shaw, assistant professor of agronomy at AU, is team coach, assisted by Ben Hajek, professor emeritus in agronomy and soils.

“Outstanding leadership by the seniors on our team and the experience they brought with them to the competition made the difference for us,” Shaw said. “The whole team applied what they have learned and showed that they were the best in the nation in their ability to analyze, describe and evaluate soils.”

The AU team, which advanced to the nationals after claiming first place among 12 teams in regional competition last fall, had stellar performances in individual competition as well. Among the 88 individuals participating in the event, Usery finished first overall, with Stone placing 10th; van Santen, 12th; and Lasater, 15th.

The fierce two-day soil-judging competition takes place in six-foot-deep soil pits. Team members must evaluate the soil based on color, texture, structure and horizons, or layers; measure its qualities for agriculture; describe its landscape setting; and identify possible limitations for use in an urban development. The event is, first and foremost, an educational opportunity, Shaw said.

“It exposes these students to soils outside of Alabama and gives them hands-on experience that will help prepare them for careers in soil science and agronomy,” Shaw said.

Rounding out the top five in the national competition were California Polytechnic State University in second place, Ohio State University in third, University of Wisconsin-Platteville in fourth and the University of Georgia, fifth.

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News from:

Office of Ag Communications & Marketing

Auburn University College of Agriculture
Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station
3 Comer Hall, Auburn University
Auburn, AL 36849
334-844-4877 (PHONE) 334-844-5892 (FAX)

Contact Jamie Creamer, 334-844-2783 or jcreamer@auburn.edu
Contact Joey Shaw, 334-844-3957 or shawjo1@auburn.edu

04/09/03

For immediate release