A group of ISU students placed first in a national horticulture competition. This is the third time a team from Iowa State has won the event.

Three teams composed of four ISU students traveled to Orlando, Fla., Feb. 3-10 for the 8th Annual Collegiate Turf Bowl Competition. This year, 58 teams represented 26 states.

Horticulture students Jeffrey Kennicker, Joel Randall, Marcus Jones and Tyler Langel formed the winning team.

“It is a big test,” said Nick Christians, faculty adviser of the Turf Club.

The test is 17 pages long and takes two to three hours to complete. The competition is hosted by the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America.

Jones, president of the Turf Club, said test questions examine students’ ability to identify soils, grass species, diseases, weeds and insects.

It also tests the students’ knowledge of mathematics and growth and development. Students had to be aware of variations in vegetation and soil types.

“Anywhere in the nation is game,” Jones said. “They can test us on anything in the field.”

“We finished second last year, so we made it our goal to finish first this year,” said Langel, senior in horticulture. “We entered three teams in hopes of finishing first, second and third.”

One ISU team took first place with 264 points, an 18.5 point lead over second. Members of the winning team received plaques and $25 gift certificates.

The other two teams placed second and 11th.

“The students prepared very well,” said Christians, university professor of horticulture. “They participated in a lot of study sessions.”

Iowa State’s ornamental horticulture program, which includes the turf program, is ranked second in the country.

“The horticulture program here is doing very good in comparison to other schools,” Langel said.

In 1999 and 2000, the university had the first-place team at this event. Last year, teams placed second and third, he said.

“We’re really proud of what we’ve achieved, it reflects well on the department as well as the school,” Jones said.