When it comes to fields of freshly manicured green on golf courses, University of Maryland students know the work that goes into creating turf that ensures environmental and human safety, in the form of this year’s Turf Bowl Competition.
“That’s a memory I will never forget,” Conner Todd said, recalling his experience at the 2025
National Turf Bowl Competition held by the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America.
Traveling thousands of miles to San Diego, California, Todd and his teammates competed against other universities to test their knowledge and skills about turfgrass and golf course management.
The UMD Turf Bowl Team placed second nationally, edging out other large Turf schools, including Purdue University, Colorado State University, and Ohio State University. Todd, along with teammates Luke Murnane, Zach Onderko and Joe Poulas, finished just two points behind the leader, Penn State.
The grueling competition included questions covering all aspects of golf course maintenance, Murnane, a plant sciences major, explained.
“Any turfgrass question was possible,” Murnane said. “Some of the questions included calculations of fertilizer use, water use, pesticide use, and questions regarding photosynthesis, plant structures, soil structure, even human resource questions, insect life cycles, and turfgrass ID characteristics.”
To prepare for this highly competitive contest, Geoff Rinehart, the UMD Turf Bowl Team’s coach, and his team of seven students met weekly during the fall semester, quizzing each other with slide decks that covered the Turf Bowl Study Guide.
Rinehart said a benefit for this year’s team was the return of three of the four members of the UMD team.
“It was very beneficial for them to have that experience as we looked to this year," Rinehart said.
Their plan worked. This year’s team, coming off a tie for 11th place last year, performed especially well against a pool of a total of 76 teams from 29 different schools.
“Being able to represent the University of Maryland is an honor. I am so proud of the team and everything we have accomplished,” Murnane said. “To achieve 2nd place highlights the dedication and focus of this team and how close we were to being on top.”
This year’s competition was one of the largest in several years, which highlights the growth and interest in the industry.
Rinehart and Poulas explained that the trip to California was more than just competing. The team visited Torrey Pines Golf Course, which was designed by legendary course architect William P. Bell, as well as Balboa Stadium, an historic sports field in San Diego.
“I had overlooked how many UMD grads would be there to witness our achievement,” Poulas said. “When they announced our team as runner-up, there were so many people cheering us on.”
Todd reflected on the boost the win would give his teammates in future career pursuits.
“Being able to take our results with us beyond college will make us stand out among others in the industry with our national competition results,” Todd said.
Overwhelmingly, members named the team culture as the best part of the process.
“The bonds made with a great group of guys that got to travel, live, and compete together for a week…these relationships will continue long past graduation,” Todd said.
Poulas explained that he cherished the chance to spend the week with his teammates and watch Rinehart’s reaction when the award was presented.
“I’ll never forget the look on Geoff’s face when they announced the University of Maryland won 2nd place,” Poulas said, laughing. “A heart attack was not out of the question!”
The books close on another competitive year for UMD’s Turf Bowl team, as Todd and his teammates distill memories of teamwork on and off the field.
