Student Weed Contest

2024 National Weed Science Contest Announcement

ABG Ag Services cordially invites all NCWSS institutions to the 2024 North Central Weed Science Collegiate Contest. 

The 2024 contest will be held on July 24 and 25 at ABG Ag Services near Sheridan, Indiana, which is just a short drive north of Indianapolis.  Registration will be on site, Wednesday, July 24, 2024, starting at 4:30 p.m.  There will be a welcome dinner following registration at 6:00 p.m., including introductions and details on the contest, as well as time for socialization and relaxation.  An awards banquet will be held following the contest on Thursday in a restored 1800’s era haymow barn at Dull’s Tree Farm near Thorntown. Directions to the contest and banquet locations, hotel names and phone numbers, and a more detailed schedule will be provided later, via email and the NCWSS website, ncwss.org.

Registration forms, volunteer forms, contest rules and regulations, list of unknown herbicides, list of potential weeds for identification, and the possible crop and weed list for this year’s contest can be found by visiting the links below:


To assist in planning and for future communication, please have the primary contact person send their e-mail address and expected number of contestants by April 12, 2024 to [email protected], with the official registration forms and fees being due by May 1, 2024.  Registration fees are $25 per NCWSS student and $35 per non-NCWSS student.  Please mail checks made out to NCWSS to North Central Weed Science Society, Inc., 12110 N. Pecos Street, Suite 220, Westminster, CO  80234 ATTN: Weeds Contest or if using a credit card, send information to [email protected], also referencing the weeds contest.

If there are any questions or concerns, please call 260-242-1565 or send an e-mail to [email protected] and [email protected] .  ABG Ag Services looks forward to seeing you and your students this summer at the 2024 NCWSS Weed Contest!

2024 NCWSS Student Weed Contest Results

Individual Weed ID

PlacingUniversityContestant
FirstUniversity of MinnesotaSithin Mathew

Individual Written Calibration

PlacingUniversityContestant
FirstIowa State UniversityCourtney Harle

Individual Farmer Problem 

PlacingUniversityContestant
FirstUniversity of Wisconsin - MadisonMark Kendall

Individual Herbicide Symptomology ID

PlacingUniversityContestant
FirstPurdue UniversityAlex Mueth

Individual Overall

PlacingUniversityContestants
FirstUniversity of NebraskaVipin Kumar
SecondUniversity of IllinoisIsabel Werle
ThirdPurdue UniversityAlex Mueth

Team Overall

PlacingUniversityTeamContestants
FirstUniversity of IllinoisG1Yudai Takenaka, Alex Lopez, Isabel Werle, Travis Wilke
SecondPurdue UniversityG1

Jada Davis, Alex Mueth, Hunter Medenwald, Apigal Norsworthy  

ThirdUniversity of MinnesotaG1Eric Yu, Navjot Singh, Datta Chiruvelli, Sithin Mathew

Team Sprayer Calibration

PlacingUniversityTeamContestants
FirstUniversity of IllinoisG1Yudai Takenaka, Travis Wilke, Alex Lopez, Isabel Werle

Individual Weed ID

PlacingUniversityContestants
FirstIowa State UniversityAlex Coughlin

Individual Herbicide Symptomology ID

PlacingUniversityContestants
FirstIowa State UniversityAlex Coughlin

Individual Farmer Problem

PlacingUniversityContestants
FirstUniversity of Wisconsin - MadisonJacob Roden

Individual Written Calibration

PlacingUniversityContestants
FirstUniversity of Wisconsin - MadisonDaniel Zhu

Individual Overall

PlacingUniversityContestants
FirstIowa State University Alex Coughlin
SecondUniversity of Wisconsin - MadisonDaniel Zhu
ThirdUniversity of Wisconsin - MadisonRainne Wagner

Team Overall

PlacingUniversityTeamContestants
FirstUniversity of Wisconsin - MadisonUG1Sabeel Abuhakmeh, Jacob Roden, Daniel Zhu, Rianne Wagner
SecondKansas State UniversityUG1Ashlynn Hartman, Leno Calddieraro, Quinten Bina, Joaquin Enrria
ThirdIowa State UniversityUG1Alex Coughlin, Emma Davidson, Ephraim Van Zante, Abe Dieleman

Team Sprayer Calibration

PlacingUniversityTeamContestants
FirstNorth Dakota State UniversityUG1Ethan Mewes, Jenna Larson, Grace Dinius

2023 NCWSS Student Weed Contest Results

Individual Weed ID

PlacingUniversityContestant
FirstPurdue UniversityAlex Mueth

Individual Unknown Herbicide

PlacingUniversityContestant
FirstPurdue UniversityAlex Mueth

Individual Problem Solving

PlacingUniversityContestant
FirstUniversity of MissouriTrace Thompson

Individual Written Problems

PlacingUniversityContestant
FirstPurdue UniversityMarcelo Zimmer

Individual Overall

PlacingUniversityContestants
FirstPurdue UniversityMarcelo Zimmer
SecondPurdue UniversityAlex Mueth
ThirdPurdue UniversityJada Davis

Team Overall

PlacingUniversityTeamContestants
FirstPurdue UniversityG1Claudia Bland, Lucas Maia, Alex Mueth, and Marcelo Zimmer.
SecondUniversity of IllinoisG1

Alexander Lopez, Pavle Pavlovic, Isabel Werle, and Travis Wilke.  

ThirdUniversity of MinnesotaG1Datta Chiruvelli, Navjot Singh, Mark Temper, and Eric Yu.

Team Sprayer Calibration

PlacingUniversityTeamContestants
FirstPurdue UniversityG1Estevan Cason, Josue Cerritos, Jada Davis, and Emma Lagerhausen.

Individual Weed ID

PlacingUniversityContestants
FirstUniversity of IllinoisYudai Takenaka

Individual Unknown Herbicide

PlacingUniversityContestants
FirstUniversity of IllinoisYudai Takenaka

Individual Problem Solving

PlacingUniversityContestants
FirstUniversity of IllinoisJacob Roden

Individual Written Problems

PlacingUniversityContestants
FirstUniversity of IllinoisYudai Takenaka

Individual Overall

PlacingUniversityContestants
FirstUniversity of IllinoisYudai Takenaka
SecondUniversity of WisconsinSabeel Abuhakmeh
ThirdUniversity of WisconsinJacob Roden

Team Overall

PlacingUniversityTeamContestants
FirstUniversity of WisconsinUG1Sabeel Abuhakmeh, Zachary Olson, Jacob Roden, and Daniel Zhu.
SecondOhio State UniversityUG1Heather Oberlin, Ella Pollng, Timothy Sullivan, and Kristoffer Tovar.
ThirdUniversity of IllinoisUG1Filipi Machado, Yudai Takenaka, and Nathan Welch.

Team Sprayer Calibration

PlacingUniversityTeamContestants
FirstUniversity of WisconsinUG1

Sabeel Abuhakmeh, Zachary Olson, Jacob Roden, and Daniel Zhu. 

2022 NCWSS Student Weed Contest Results

Individual Weed ID

PlacingUniversityContestant
FirstKansas State UniversityTyler Meyeres

Individual Herbicide ID

PlacingUniversityContestant
FirstUniversity of IllinoisLogan Miller

Individual Problem Solving

PlacingUniversityContestant
FirstUniversity of Wisconsin – MadisonMark Kendall

Individual Written Calibration

PlacingUniversityContestant
FirstPurdue UniversityJesse Haarman

Individual Overall

PlacingUniversityContestants
FirstPurdue UniversityJesse Haarman
SecondPurdue UniversityMatt Osterholt
ThirdUniversity of IllinoisLogan Miller

Team Field Calibration

PlacingUniversityTeamContestantsCoach(es)
FirstUniversity of Wisconsin-MadisonG1Felipe Faleco, Guilherme Chudzik, Mark Kendall, Nikola ArsenijevicRodrigo Werle

Team Overall

PlacingUniversityTeamContestantsCoach(es)
FirstPurdue UniversityG1Claudia Bland, Jesse Haarman, Lucas Maia, Matt OsterholtClaudia Bland
SecondKansas State UniversityG1Isaac Barnhart, Sachin Dhanda, Sarah Zerger, Tyler MeyeresAnita Dille
ThirdUniversity of IllinoisG1Isabel Werle, Logan Miller, Lucas Bobadilla, Pavle PavlovicPatrick Tranel

Individual Weed ID

PlacingUniversityContestants
FirstNorth Dakota State UniversityAdam Aberle

Individual Herbicide ID

PlacingUniversityContestants
First TieOhio State UniversityCameron Collett
First TiePennsylvania State UniversityEthan Whitmoyer

Individual Problem Solving

PlacingUniversityContestants
FirstUniversity of Nebraska – LincolnBruno Eltink

Individual Written Calibration

PlacingUniversityContestants
FirstUniversity of IllinoisYudai Takenaka

Individual Overall

PlacingUniversityContestants
FirstUniversity of IllinoisYudai Takenaka
SecondNorth Dakota State UniversityAdam Aberle
ThirdWestern Illinois UniversityDustin Steinkamp

Team Field Calibration

PlacingUniversityTeamContestantsCoach(es)
FirstUniversity of IllinoisUG1Caleb Van Hoveln, Nathan Welch, Travis Wilke, Yudai TakenakaPatrick Tranel

Team Overall

PlacingUniversityTeamContestantsCoach(es)
FirstUniversity of IllinoisUG1Caleb Van Hoveln, Nathan Welch, Travis Wilke, Yudai TakenakaPatrick Tranel
SecondOhio State UniversityUG1Brock Horn, Cameron Collett, Cori Lee, Sam ShillingBruce Ackley and Alyssa Essman
ThirdWestern Illinois UniversityUG1Dustin Steinkamp, Jamie Hidreth, Kinsey Tiemann, Stephanie ReiterBrent Heaton

Video of 2017 Student Weed Contest