SUNY Delhi Students Place Second at National Collegiate Turf Bowl

44 teams from across the country competed in the GCSAA event in San Diego, CA

by Riikka Olson

Delhi, NY (02/15/2022) — Competing against large universities from across the country, Team SUNY Delhi took second place at the national 2022 Collegiate Turf Bowl during the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (GCSAA) Conference and Trade Show in San Diego, CA, last week. Forty-four teams composed of 153 students participated in the event.

In the competition, teams of up to four students were judged on their ability to identify turfgrass, weed, insect, and disease specimens, on their answers to questions relating to the turfgrass industry, and on their presentations of a case study in soil chemistry. The students on SUNY Delhi's second-place team were Michael Battaglia, Drew Romanski, Charles Bourgeois, and Brad Woessner. Students Konnor Erdige, Ty Leahy, Sean Carron, Ryan Cole, Brenden Thompson, Justin Ace, and Cooper Hicks also participated in the competition.

According to Associate Professor Benjamin Czyzewski, who prepared Delhi students and accompanied them on the trip along with instructors Ryan Abbate and Julia Ward, "What this team accomplished is incredibly impressive. No other small college has ever finished in the top 10 of the Turf Bowl in its over 20-year history, let alone placed second. I'm so proud of our students and inspired by their passion."

"Finishing second in the Turf Bowl is an experience I'll never forget," said Michael Battaglia, a senior in the Golf and Sports Turf Management program at SUNY Delhi. "I can't thank my teammates and professors enough for their commitment to this event."

Added sophomore Drew Romanski, "Our team worked very hard to prepare, so I knew we had a shot at top ten, but when Delhi's name was called up in the second-place spot, I couldn't believe it. I was in shock that a tiny SUNY school was able to beat a bunch of division one schools! We made history, and I'm incredibly proud and grateful to be a part of it."

SUNY Delhi's Golf and Sports Turf Management program is the only bachelor's degree in the Northeast that combines turf management with business classes, preparing graduates for leadership positions at golf courses, athletic venues, landscaping companies, and more. Delhi alumni manage golf courses and sports facilities across the United States. For the past ten years, Delhi's graduates have enjoyed 100% job placement in the industry.

To learn more, contact Associate Professor Benjamin Czyzewski at czyzewbb@delhi.edu or (607) 746-4277 or visit delhi.edu.