The University’s meat animal evaluation judging team was named national champion at the 2012 National Meat Animal Evaluation Contest.

The contest was held March 14-16 in Lincoln, Nebraska. For the competition, students ranked beef, swine and sheep for market and breeding purposes and evaluated cuts of meat, according to a press release.

The team was also awarded second place in the breeding animal, market animal and meats divisions, as well as third place in the communications division.

“They worked well as a team and were consistent all across the board,” said Dan Shike, team coach and professor of animal sciences.

Team members were Seth Gallivan, Jordan Rauch, Dillon Garver, Bailey Edenburn, Ashley Kloth, Amy Sneed, Amanda Kazmierczak and Jennifer Ewing. Graduate students Daniel Clark and Chris Cassady assisted Shike as coaches.

Five University team members also won individual awards.

“Having five individuals in the top 15 is very impressive,” Shike said.

Shike said the competition teaches students a lot of skills, such as decision-making, communication and working as a team. It also allows them the opportunity to get out of the classroom and interact with industry professionals, he added.

“This was just a great group of students that were committed and worked hard, and it paid off,” Shike said.