Delaware Valley University Soil Judging Team Qualifies for Nationals

The Delaware Valley University Soil Judging Team took second place in group judging and third place overall at the Northeast Regional Collegiate Soil Judging Contest, which was hosted by the University of Maryland in October. 

The competition included more than 70 students from 10 universities. The schools represented in the competition were DelVal, Bloomsburg University, Brooklyn College, the University of Delaware, the University of Maryland, Penn State, the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown, the University of Rhode Island, Stockton University and the University of Vermont.

Soil judging competitions allow students to apply what they are learning about testing and evaluating soil by competing against students from other schools. Competitors identify, evaluate, classify and describe soil profiles. The competitions include group and individual portions. Students also get a chance to see soil from different regions of the country through competing.

“The students all learned a lot about the unique soils of the Eastern Shore and how soil impacts land use and management,” said Steve Dadio, a DelVal faculty member who teaches the soil judging students. “I hope that they had some fun along the way as well.”

By placing among the top five schools in the competition, the DelVal team qualified for Nationals for the sixth consecutive year. The team will compete in nationals next spring in Ohio.

DelVal students also placed well in the individual portion of the competition. Individually, Heather Stellabott ’20 finished eighth, Madison Herrmann ’22 finished in twelfth place, and Jonathan Bruxvoort ’22 took thirteenth. 

The following students represented the University at the regional soil judging competition: 

• Jonathan Bruxvoort ’22, a sustainable agriculture systems major from Soldotna, Alaska.
   
• Dave Edenfield ’19 (Dec.), a crop science major from Telford, Pennsylvania. 
   
• Jackie Heitz ’20, an environmental science major from Levittown, Pennsylvania.
   
• Madison Herrmann ’22, an environmental science major from Allentown, Pennsylvania.
   
• Doug Herrington ’21, an environmental science major from Trumbauersville, Pennsylvania.
   
• Gianna Ramos ’19 (Dec.), an environmental science major from Warminster, Pennsylvania.
   
• Heather Stellabott ’20, an environmental science major from Perkasie, Pennsylvania.
   
• Angela Stevenson ’21, a sustainable agriculture systems major from Willow Grove, Pennsylvania.

For more information on the University’s soil judging team, please visit the team’s Facebook page at facebook.com/delvalsoiljudging.