- June 15, 2026
- By Andrew Muir
Members of the University of Maryland Soil Judging Team have continued the school’s competitive success, this time taking top honors on the international stage.
Environmental science and technology majors Zie Goodman ’27 and Cole Chapman ’26 helped Team USA Stripes capture the World Championship at the 5th International Soil Judging Contest in China earlier this month. UMD’s team has won three national titles in the last decade.
The squad, made up of students from UMD and Virginia Tech, earned the highest overall score based on both group and individual rounds. Goodman and Chapman also placed among the top 10 competitors individually.
The competition, featuring 18 teams from 14 nations (including two U.S. teams), challenged students to apply their soil science knowledge, combining classroom instruction with hands-on fieldwork. Participants described multiple soil pits individually and as teams, assessing characteristics such as texture, color, structure and human-influenced features.
“It was awesome seeing students from around the globe come together to learn, explore Chinese soils, develop professionally, network and have a lot of fun," said UMD soil judging coach Brian Needelman, who was on the organizing committee of the event, acting as chair of the IUSS Soil Judging Working Group. "I am proud of Zie and Cole for their hard work and delighted that they were rewarded with gold medals.”