MSU Places Fifth in National Collegiate Landscape Competition

An MSU student team placed fifth at the National Association of Landscape Professional's National Collegiate Landscape Competition in Colorado in March 2019.

MSU Student Team taking a break from their competition

Michigan State University’s Student Horticulture Association landscape team participated in the 43rd Annual NALP (National Association of Landscape Professionals) National Collegiate Landscape Competition during March.

The event was hosted by Colorado State University in Fort Collins. The four-day event consisted of educational workshops, a career fair, and 29 competitive events which have been termed the Landscape Olympics. Team members competed against 844 students representing 64 colleges and universities from across the United States and Canada. MSU once again made a strong showing finishing in fifth place.

MSU Team

The MSU team was composed of students from the Department of Horticulture, School of Planning, Design and Construction Department (landscape architecture program) and Institute of Agricultural Technology (landscape and nursery management program).

Team members included Kylee Chickering, Amanda Denney, Abby Denning, Aaron Glenn, Tyler Hampton, Ashley Hastings, Corrine Johnston, Brad Koetje, Chanelle Russ, Colton Schlitters, John Slinkman, Cheyenne Sloan, Anthony Soster, Mary Tuski, Lily Wallace, Caleb Walton, Austin Western, Delainey Williams, and team coaches Marcus Duck, Brad Rowe, and Bob Schutzki. Also, Matt Bailey, representing the MSU Grounds Crew attended and contributed.

Top 15 performances in individual events included:

  • Delainey Williams, Construction Cost Estimating (1st)
  • Team of Abby Denning and Tyler Hampton, Employee Development (2nd)
  • Corrine Johnston, Plant Problem Diagnosis (2nd)
  • Amanda Denney, Annual and Perennial ID (4th)
  • Chanelle Russ, Woody Ornamental Plant ID (4th)
  • Chanelle Russ, Exterior Landscape Design (6th)
  • Tyler Hampton, Turf and Weed ID (6th)
  • Ashley Hastings, 3D Exterior Landscape Design (7th)
  • Aaron Glenn, Landscape Lighting (7th)
  • Abby Denning, Annual and Perennial ID (9th)
  • Brad Koetje, Construction Cost Estimating (10th)
  • Corrine Johnston, Woody Ornamental Plant ID (11th)
  • Ashley Hastings, Business Management (12th)
  • Team of Aaron Glenn and Brad Koetje, Hardscape Installation (12th)
  • Lily Wallace, Interior Plant ID (12th)
  • Team of Caleb Walton and Austin Western, Truck and Trailer Operation (12th)
  • Team of Anthony Soster and Mary Tuski, Irrigation Troubleshooting (13th)
  • Mary Tuski, Irrigation Design (14th)
  • Delainey Williams, Sales Presentation (14th)
  • Cheyenne Sloan, Turf and Weed ID (14th)
  • Kylee Chickering, Interior Landscape Design (15th)
  • Colton Schlitters and Caleb Walton, Wood Construction (15th)

The top overall scorer for MSU was Brad Koetje with 381 points. Also, Brad Koetje, Abby Denning, and Caleb Walton were awarded scholarships ranging from $1,000 (Denning and Walton) to $2,700 (Koetje) from the NALP Foundation.

Support

Team members worked diligently all year raising money to finance the trip through Student Horticulture Association activities such as their Spring Show. They also acknowledge the following industry sponsors that donated nearly $9,000 to help support the team:

Platinum

Katerberg VerHage, Grand Rapids, MI
Land Care, Frederick, MD
Landscape Design Services, Holland, MI

Gold

Bartlett Tree Experts, Northbrook, IL

Silver

Drost Landscape, Petoskey, MI
Old Mission Associates, Traverse City, MI
Witte Lawn Maintenance, Wyoming, MI

Bronze

Acres Group, Wauconda, IL
Arcadia Gardens, Stevensville, MI
David J. Frank Landscaping, Germantown, WI
Designs by Sundown, Littleton, CO
Everett’s Landscape Management, Grand Rapids, MI
Guardian Tree Experts, Ann Arbor, MI
Koetje Landscape, Grand Rapids, MI
LandMark Landscape, Haslett, MI
Outdoor Expressions, Lansing, MI
Raker-Roberta’s Young Plants, Litchfield, MI
Rivertown Landscapes, Rockford, MI
Rocky Mountain Custom Landscapes, Denver, CO
Tillmann Wholesale Growers, New Franken, WI
Tru North Landscaping, Traverse City, MI
Van Atta’s Greenhouse, Haslett, MI
Western’s Tree Farm, Applegate, MI

Looking to 2020

Next year’s competition will be hosted by Michigan State University and will take place March 18-21, 2020, in East Lansing.

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