The Seventh Annual Student Challenge took place in Austin, Texas at the Sports Turf Managers Association’s 22nd Annual Conference and Exhibition. The conference was held January 11-15, 2011. For the fourth consecutive year, Mount San Antonio College (Mt. SAC) enrolled two teams. Team 1 members are Pat Escalera, Tom Skelton, Chaz Perea and Wade Anderseck. Team 2 members are Kevin Marsh, Chris Romo and Matt Janney. The team coaches are Brian Scott, Professor of Horticulture and Steve Dugas, adjunct Professor of Horticulture.

The Sports Turf Managers Association (STMA) Student Challenge consists of several parts. Included in the test are Turfgrass Identification, Selection and Morphology, Soil Management, Soil Fertility, Water Management, Drainage, Turfgrass Mathematics, Pest Identification and Management, Sports Field Management (both turf and non-turf areas), and essay questions pertaining to real life sports turf management scenarios.

This year there were approximately 33 teams competing, consisting of both four-year and two-year colleges from across the country. The Mt. SAC Team 1 placed first, Penn State finished second, while the University of Maryland finished third in the Two Year College category. Mt. SAC Team 2 placed sixth. This is an amazing finish for both teams, to say the least. The first place finish comes with a $4,000.00 award to be used to enhance the turfgrass science program at Mt. SAC. Pictured above, from left to right are: Steve Dugas, Pat Escalera, Kevin Marsh, Chaz Perea, Wade Anderseck, Matt Janney, Chris Romo, Brian Scott and Tom Skelton.

The teams were sponsored by the following companies or individuals: West Coast Turf, Rain Bird, the Greater Los Angeles Basin Sports Turf Managers Association, Jane Roth, Bill Marsh, Bob and Dawn Marsh, Larry and Bonnie Marsh, Barbara Vanassa, Dan and Julie Weatherford, Art Partida, Jerry Budnick and Fred Herrera.