The SUNY Soil Judging Team contingent includes (from left) Dr. Mathew Purtill (coach), Alex Gombos, Mia Enders, Rachel Echevaria (coach), Weston Hepler and Emma Steffenhagen. (Missing from the photo is coach Dominique Martello.)
SUNY Fredonia’s soil judging team has punched their ticket to compete in the 2026 National Collegiate Soil Judging Contest.
A strong overall sixth place finish — out of 20 teams representing 13 schools — at the Northeast Regional National Soil Judging Contest in Johnstown, PA, has propelled the four-student team to the 2026 national competition to be held in March 2026 at North Carolina State University.
“This year, Fredonia even edged out the 2025 national runner-up, the University of Delaware, to secure [the] qualification — and finished as the top soil judging team in New York state for the second year in a row!” - Dr. Matthew Purtill
“At Nationals, our team will compete against top programs from across the United States in pursuit of a national championship,” said Associate Professor Matthew Purtill of the Department of Geology and Environmental Science.
It’s considered the Stanley Cup of soils that draws some 250 students from across the country.
“This year, Fredonia even edged out the 2025 national runner-up, the University of Delaware, to secure [the] qualification — and finished as the top soil judging team in New York state for the second year in a row!” Dr. Purtill added.
Purtill coaches the team along with master’s degree candidate Rachel Echevarria, a ‘24 graduate who majored in Earth Science, and ‘22 alumnus Dominique Martello, who majored in Geology.
Team members are Alex Gombos, a junior Environmental Sciences major from Lake View, NY; Mia Enders, a senior Geology major from Bath, NY; Emma Steffenhagen, a senior Environmental Sciences major from Machias, NY; and Weston Hepler, a senior Environmental Sciences major from Clymer, NY.
Two students — Mr. Hepler and Mr. Gombos — and Ms. Echevarria were on the team that placed fourth in the group competition and 10th place overall at last year’s Northeast event.
At nationals, students will compete both individually and as a group to most accurately describe the origins and characteristics of five “competition pits” over two days. The national competition has been held every year since 1961.
