A University of Nebraska–Lincoln turfgrass competition team finished 16th out of 76 teams from 29 universities at the 31st Annual Collegiate Turf Bowl competition Feb. 5. The competition, presented in partnership with John Deere, was held at the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America Conference and Trade Show in San Diego.
The 16th-place Nebraska team included Scout Allen, Matt Boyd, Ridge Gerstberger and Walker Petersen. Riley Dinslage, Ryan Knipping, Easton Petsche and Jackson Robbins competed on another Nebraska team and placed 38th, while the team of Trevor Beckenhauer, Joshua Hong, Alex Painter and Josh Zarybnicky placed 44th. All the students are plant and landscape system majors in turfgrass science and management in the agronomy and horticulture department.
The topics at the GCSAA Turf Bowl included a multiple-choice exam covering math, turfgrass growth and development, soils, fertility, pesticides, irrigation, mowing and water management. Students also had to identify turfgrass and weeds from live samples, insects and diseases from images with descriptions of species they affected and conditions that favored their presence, and turfgrass seed from seed samples.
“This group of seniors have been great leaders,” team coach Anne Streich said. “Three seniors — Scout Allen, Walker Petersen and Matt Boyd — have participated in the Turf Bowl all four years.”
Nebraska turfgrass team members had the opportunity to talk with John Petrovsky, Green Section Manager from the United States Golf Association during the GCSAA Conference and Trade Show. In addition, students toured The Toro Company booth where Dan Parr from Midwest Turf and Irrigation of Omaha led an hour-long tour covering equipment, decision-making and many other topics.
Before the GCSAA Turf Bowl, three Huskers competed in the Student Challenge at the 36th Annual Sports Field Management Association Conference and Exhibition Jan. 15 in Palm Springs, California. The Nebraska turfgrass competition team placed 21st out of 30 institutional teams. Members included Painter, Carson Vachal and Aaron Barnhouse.
The SFMA Student Challenge is like the GCSAA Turf Bowl but focuses more on sports field management. This was the first time a Nebraska team had participated in the SFMA Student Challenge since 2017. During the conference, the students met with various representatives from the turfgrass industry.
The Department of Agronomy and Horticulture’s Streich, a professor of practice, and Amanda Folck, an assistant extension educator in turfgrass management, guide the turfgrass teams.
