U of I Tops In Soil

Congratulations to the University of Idaho, as the kids from Moscow prove they know their dirt.  The U of I placed first overall during the 2025 National Collegiate Soil Judging Contest.  The event which took place April 27th-May 2nd back in Stevens Point, WI, included 27 teams from across the country.  And the U of I was the only team with multiple students placing among the top 10 individuals out of 198 participants.

The U of I has participated in soil judging dating back to the 1980s but had never previously placed in the top five of the competition. U of I’s previous best performances came in 2024, when the team finished sixth, and in 2023, when the team finished seventh. U of I is also the first team from the Northwest region to win the competition.

School officials say the U of I had the fewest members on a national championship team since West Virginia University won the competition in 2016.  The Vandals scored 2,819 points in victory.  University of Delaware, which scored 2,749 points, and University of Maryland, which scored 2,721 points, rounded out the top three teams.

The competition involves assessing soil pits, both as a team and individually. Competitors must evaluate the soil based on texture, color, structure, wetness indicators and other properties. They must identify hydrologic, geologic and agronomic properties. They must also assign a taxonomic classification of the soil and interpret practical uses for the soil such as home construction, septic tank drainage and road construction. Potato growing suitability was a new feature in the recent contest to recognize Wisconsin’s potato industry and was an addition the Vandals found to their advantage. Participants are given an hour to complete their assessments.

Sky Reinhardt, a junior agricultural systems management major from Bonners Ferry, ID placed fifth, and Jacob Flick, a senior mechanical engineering major from Gooding, ID placed eighth. In addition, Tegan Macy, a junior crop science major from Culver, OR, placed 25th.  Other U of I team members who participated in the national competition included Tobee Holman, a senior in agricultural systems management from Rigby, ID; Logan Mann, a junior soil science and chemistry double major from Littleton, CO; Daniel Middelhoven, a sophomore crop management major from Kuna, ID; and Hannah Poland, a senior agricultural economics major from East Wenatchee, WA. 

Looking ahead, U of I will return five judges next year, as the team will compete in Grand Junction, CO seeking their fourth consecutive regional title.

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