UK Soil Judging Team Gains National Recognition in Raleigh

By Blake Jackson

Students from the University of Kentucky earned national recognition at the 2026 National Collegiate Soils Contest, with the team finishing seventh overall and student Jose Villanos placing fifth individually among 112 competitors. The event, hosted near Raleigh, North Carolina, featured 28 collegiate teams from across the country.

“We didn’t think we did well at all, and especially I didn’t think I was going to do well,” said Villanos, a rising senior studying Agricultural and Medical Biotechnology at the UK Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment. “It was a great day.”

The soil judging team is coached by Chris Shepard, associate professor of pedology in the Department of Plant and Soil Sciences. Students begin by taking coursework focused on soil resource evaluation before advancing to regional and national competitions.

“Soil judging is teaching students how to describe soils,” Shepard said.

Competitors evaluate soil layers, textures, colors, and other physical properties while also determining how soils affect land use and environmental conditions. Shepard explained that the goal is to prepare students to independently analyze soils at a professional level.

Graduate student Grace Bodine, who serves as assistant coach, described the competition as a valuable hands-on learning opportunity.

“It's the best experience you can get to learn about soils,” Bodine said. “You're in the dirt, you're in the pit.”

The Southeast regional contest is known for its high level of competition, featuring universities from across the southeastern United States. UK secured the final qualifying spot for nationals after placing sixth at regionals.

“We all freaked out,” Bodine said. “That helped boost the confidence of the students from that point on.”

During the national competition, students judged soil pits individually and as a team under strict time limits. Shepard praised the students’ dedication and skill throughout the demanding event.

“You all are very good at this,” Shepard said.

Villanos also learned during the contest that he had been awarded a prestigious Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship, making the experience even more memorable.

“It was a day,” he said, “that will be ‘stuck in my head forever.’”

Photo Credit: university-of-kentucky