The Iowa State Turf Club cut away its competitors at the annual Collegiate Turf Bowl held in Orlando, Fla., Feb. 8-14.

The four-member team placed first out of 35 competing teams. Pennsylvania State University received second place and Michigan State University received third place.

The ISU Turf Club team members include Aaron Patton, junior in horticulture; Jason Habeck, senior in horticulture; Chad Wilson, junior in horticulture; and Jeff Wendel, senior in horticulture.

This was ISU’s first year in the team competition.

“It was pretty much an ISU sweep,” Wendel said.

The four team members worked together to answer written questions, solve math problems and identify soil, seed and weed samples.

ISU’s team received a final score of 168 out of a possible 185 points, beating the second place team by seven points.

Nick Christians, professor of horticulture, was surprised by the number of teams that participated in this year’s Turf Bowl.

“It gives them a feel of how they are doing compared to students from around the country,” Christians said.

Habeck agreed that turf management is a growing field and this competition will let people know ISU has a good program.

“It shows that we are learning all different areas of turf management,” Habeck said.

Patton and Wilson, juniors in horticulture, said they are planning to compete at the event next year in New Orleans.

“We should have a good team again next year,” Christians said.

Individual honors were also given to team members. Wendel received the $3,500 Mendenhall Scholarship, which is given to the top turf grass student in the United States.

Wilson and Patton also won scholarships.