³ÉÈËÊÓƵ

2024

South Dakota State University's Dairy Products Judging Team placed fourth in All Products at the 2024 100th Collegiate Dairy Products Evaluation Contest, held on April 17 at the Baird Center Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Dairy products judging involves students evaluating the appearance, texture and flavor of six dairy products (milk, butter, cheddar cheese, ice cream, yogurt and cottage cheese). A total of 44 undergraduate and graduate contestants from nine universities in the U.S. participated in the contest.

³ÉÈËÊÓƵ team members were Brody Lien (undergraduate), Jessemy Sharp (undergraduate), Justin Van Middendorp (undergraduate), Wyatt Zehr (undergraduate) and Ifra Tun Nur (graduate). The team is coached by Maneesha S. Mohan, ³ÉÈËÊÓƵ associate professor in dairy manufacturing and Alfred Chair in Dairy Education. Hope Lewandowski and Cailtin Swanson served as assistant coaches.

Jessemy placed 1st in butter and 6th overall for all products, Wyatt placed 2nd in milk, Justin placed 3rd in cheddar cheese and Brody placed 7th in yogurt. In the graduate student contest, Ifra Tun placed 4th overall with 1st place in butter and yogurt, and 3rd place in Cheddar cheese. Jessemy Sharp was named the recipient for the Joe Larson Merit Scholarship. The contest was hosted by the Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association.

2023

South Dakota State University’s Dairy Products Judging Team placed fourth in All Products at the 2023 99th Collegiate Dairy Products Evaluation Contest, held April 4 at the Cheese Industry Conference in Madison, Wisconsin. Dairy products judging involves students evaluating the appearance, texture and flavor of six dairy products (milk, butter, cheddar cheese, ice cream, yogurt and cottage cheese). A total of 35 undergraduate and graduate contestants from eight universities in the U.S. participated in the contest.

³ÉÈËÊÓƵ team members were Caitlin Swanson, Huron South Dakota; Seth Hinsch, Goodhue Minnesota; Joey Otta, Sioux Falls, South Dakota; Becca Hermann, Manchester Iowa; Aditya, Kamal India; and Ting Mao, Chengdu China. The team is coached by Maneesha S. Mohan, ³ÉÈËÊÓƵ associate professor in dairy manufacturing and Alfred Chair in Dairy Education. Emily Cole and Hope Lewandowski served as assistant coaches.

Caitlin placed 2nd in cheddar cheese, 4th in ice cream and 5th overall for all products, Seth placed 5th in butter and yogurt, Joey placed 6th in butter and ice cream, and Becca placed 9th in ice cream. In the graduate student contest, Ting placed 2nd overall with 1st place in butter, and 2nd place in Cheddar cheese, Cottage cheese, Ice cream and yogurt. Aditya placed 3rd overall with 1st place in Cheddar cheese and 3rd place in milk, cottage cheese and ice cream. The contest was hosted by the Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association.

2022

The ³ÉÈËÊÓƵ Dairy Products judging team was one of seven teams competing this year. Overall, the team placed 3rd and were tied for 2nd place. The team won 1st place in milk and cheddar cheese, and 3rd place in ice cream. Individually, Hope Lewandowski won 1st place in cheddar cheese, while Madison Dahna placed 2nd in cheddar and cottage cheeses. Emily Cole was 5th in milk and 6th in cheddar cheese, while Emily Tisler placed 4th in cheddar cheese. Khalid Alsaleem placed 1st in cheddar cheese and milk, 2nd in butter and ice cream in the graduate student division. Madison Dahna placed 5th overall and Khalid placed 1st overall as a grad student. The team was coached by Ahmed Hammam and Mohamed Elfaruk served as assistant coach.

2021

No contests due to COVID-19.

2020

The ³ÉÈËÊÓƵ Dairy Products Judging Teams began with daily practice every week upon returning from winter break in January in preparation for their regional and national contests in April. In March, however, due to the pandemic both the regional and national contests were canceled. The senior team consisted of Elizabeth Schwartzhoff,Jordan Zemlicka, Sydnie Peters and Margaret Socha and graduate students Maryam Enteshari and Khalid Alsaleem. The junior team consisted of Ashley Maus, Meghan Hettinga and Daniel Sharp. The teams were coached by Lloyd Metzger and assistant coach Ahmed Hammam. The ³ÉÈËÊÓƵ Dairy Products Judging Team members look forward to put their taste buds to the test soon when contests are resumed.

2019

National Contest

South Dakota State University’s Dairy Products Judging Team placed second in All Products at the 2019 Collegiate Dairy Products Evaluation Contest, held April 17 at the Cheese Industry Conference in Madison, Wisconsin. In dairy products judging, students evaluate the appearance, texture and flavor of six dairy products (milk, butter, cheddar cheese, ice cream, yogurt and cottage cheese). This training is important for students in dairy science because it allows them to determine if products have quality defects. Members of the judging team often obtain a position in quality control or manufacturing and they use their product judging skill to identify issues and improve the quality of dairy products.

³ÉÈËÊÓƵ has a long history at the contest and has won the national championship eight out of the last 10 years and 24 times in the 97-year history of the contest. The team placed first in butter, cheddar cheese, and ice cream, second in milk, third in yogurt and eight in cottage cheese. A total of 55 undergraduate and graduate contestants from 15 universities in the U.S. participated in the contest.

³ÉÈËÊÓƵ team members were Erika Franzen-Ackerman, Fredericksburg, Iowa; Han Si, Tianjin, China; Madison Okerstrom, Shafer, Minnesota; Sanne de Bruijn, Vicksburg, Michigan; and Mohamed Elfaruk, Masallatah, Libya. The team is coached by Lloyd Metzger, ³ÉÈËÊÓƵ professor of dairy science and Alfred Chair in Dairy Education and Ahmed Hammam, ³ÉÈËÊÓƵ graduate student.

Sanne placed 8th overall and 5th in cheddar cheese, Madison placed 10th overall and first in cheddar cheese and ice cream, Han placed 11th overall and third in butter and ice cream, and Erika placed 13th overall and fifth in butter. In the graduate student contest, Mohamed placed second overall and was third in cottage cheese and fourth in butter, ice cream, milk and yogurt.

The contest was hosted by the Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association and was sponsored by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and more than 35 dairy associations, companies and suppliers.

Regional Contest

South Dakota State University’s Dairy Products Judging Team placed first in All Products at the 2019 Midwest Regional Collegiate Dairy Products Judging Contest, held on April 6 at Continental Dairy Facilities in Coopersville, Michigan. The team also placed first in Cheddar cheese, butter, cottage cheese and yogurt. A total of 32 undergraduate and graduate contestants from nine universities participated in the contest.

³ÉÈËÊÓƵ team members were Erika Franzen-Ackerman, Fredericksburg, Iowa; Han Si, Tianjin, China; Madison Okerstrom, Shafer, Minnesota; Sanne de Bruijn, Vicksburg, Michigan; and Mohamed Elfaruk, Masallatah, Libya. The team is coached by Lloyd Metzger, ³ÉÈËÊÓƵ professor of dairy science and Alfred Chair in Dairy Education and Ahmed Hammam, ³ÉÈËÊÓƵ graduate student.

Erika placed first overall and first in butter, yogurt and cottage cheese. Sanne placed second overall, and second in milk, cheddar cheese and cottage cheese. In the graduate student contest, Mohamed placed first overall and was first in milk, cheddar cheese and cottage cheese.

The contest was hosted by Continental Dairy Facilities and sponsored by more than 20 dairy companies and suppliers.

2018

National Contest

South Dakota State University’s Dairy Products Judging Team placed first in All Products at the 2018 Collegiate Dairy Products Evaluation Contest, held April 18 at the International Cheese Technology Expo in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.  In dairy products judging, students evaluate the appearance, texture and flavor of six dairy products (milk, butter, cheddar cheese, ice cream, yogurt and cottage cheese). This training is important for students in dairy science because it allows them to determine if products have quality defects. Members of the judging team often obtain a position in quality control or manufacturing and they use their product judging skill to identify issues and improve the quality of dairy products.

³ÉÈËÊÓƵ has a long history at the contest and has won the national championship 24 times in the 96-year history of the contest. The team placed first in butter, ice cream and yogurt, second in milk and fourth in cottage cheese and Cheddar cheese. A total of 49 undergraduate and graduate contestants from 15 universities in the U.S. participated in the contest.

³ÉÈËÊÓƵ team members were Megan Struss, New Ulm, Minnesota; Greg Reeter, Volga, South Dakota; Anna Hemenway, Huron, South Dakota and Ahmed Hammam, Assiut, Egypt. The team is coached by Lloyd Metzger, ³ÉÈËÊÓƵ professor of dairy science and Alfred Chair in Dairy Education and Bennet Baker, ³ÉÈËÊÓƵ student.

Megan placed first overall, third in yogurt, fifth in ice cream, and seventh in cheddar cheese and yogurt. As the top overall judge, Megan received the Robert Rosenbaum Award. Greg placed third overall, first in butter and second in yogurt. Anna was eighth overall, second in butter and third yogurt. In the graduate student contest, Ahmed placed sixth overall and was first in ice cream.

The contest was hosted by the Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association and was sponsored by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and more than 35 dairy associations, companies and suppliers.

Regional Contest

South Dakota State University’s Dairy Products Judging Team placed first in All Products at the 2018 Midwest Regional Collegiate Dairy Products Judging Contest, held April 7 at Continental Dairy Facilities in Coopersville, Michigan. The team also placed first in Cheddar cheese, butter and ice cream. A total of 34 undergraduate and graduate contestants from nine universities participated in the contest.

³ÉÈËÊÓƵ team members were Anna Hemenway, Huron, South Dakota; Greg Reeter, Volga, South Dakota; Megan Struss, New Ulm, Minnesota; and Ahmed Hammam, Assiut, Egypt. The team is coached by Lloyd Metzger, ³ÉÈËÊÓƵ professor of dairy science and Alfred Chair in Dairy Education and Bennet Baker, ³ÉÈËÊÓƵ student.

Anna placed second overall and first in butter, fourth in cheddar cheese and fifth in ice cream. Megan placed fourth overall, first in cottage cheese and second in cheddar cheese. Gregory was fifth overall and placed first in cheddar cheese, second in ice cream and third in butter. In the graduate student contest, Ahmed placed third overall and was first in cheddar cheese.

The contest was hosted by Continental Dairy Facilities and sponsored by more than 20 dairy companies and suppliers.

2017

National Contest

South Dakota State University’s Dairy Products Judging Team placed third in All Products at the 2017 Collegiate Dairy Products Evaluation Contest, held April 12 at the Wisconsin Cheese Industry Conference in Madison, Wisconsin. In dairy products judging, students evaluate the appearance, texture and flavor of six dairy products (milk, butter, Cheddar cheese, ice cream, yogurt and cottage cheese). This training is important for students in dairy science because it allows them to determine if products have quality defects. Members of the judging team often obtain a position in quality control or manufacturing and they use their product judging skill to identify issues and improve the quality of dairy products.

³ÉÈËÊÓƵ has a long history at the contest and has won the national championship 23 times in the 95 year history of the contest. The team placed first in cheddar cheese, second in butter and yogurt, third in milk, fifth in ice cream and seventh in cottage cheese. A total of 55 undergraduate and graduate contestants from 14 universities in the U.S. and Canada participated in the contest.

³ÉÈËÊÓƵ team members were Bennet Baker, St. Peter, Minnesota; Katelyn Johnson, Sleepy Eye, Minnesota; Krista Johnson, Russell, Minnesota; and Steve Beckman, Lincoln, Nebraska. The team is coached by Lloyd Metzger, ³ÉÈËÊÓƵ professor of dairy science and Alfred Chair in Dairy Education and Natasha Laska, ³ÉÈËÊÓƵ graduate student. 

Krista placed third overall and first in yogurt, and fourth in butter, milk and Cheddar cheese. Bennet placed eighth overall and seventh in yogurt and cheddar cheese. Katelyn was tenth overall and placed first in cheddar cheese. In the graduate student contest, Steve placed fifth overall and was first in cottage cheese and third in yogurt.

The contest was hosted by the Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association and was sponsored by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and more than 35 dairy associations, companies and suppliers.

2016

Regional Contest

South Dakota State University’s Dairy Products Judging Team placed first in All Products at the 2016 Midwest Regional Collegiate Dairy Products Judging Contest, held Oct. 22 at Kraft Heinz Technology Center in Glenview, IL. The team also placed first in yogurt, Cheddar cheese, cottage cheese, butter and ice cream. A total of 37 undergraduate and graduate contestants from nine universities participated in the contest. 

³ÉÈËÊÓƵ team members were Bennet Baker, St. Peter, Minnesota; Katelyn Johnson, Sleepy Eye, Minnesota; Krista Johnson, Russell, Minnesota; and Steve Beckman, Lincoln, Nebraska. The team is coached by Lloyd Metzger, ³ÉÈËÊÓƵ professor of dairy science and Alfred Chair in Dairy Education and Natasha Laska, ³ÉÈËÊÓƵ graduate student.  

Krista placed first overall and first in butter, second in yogurt, ice cream and cottage cheese, and fifth in milk and cheddar cheese.  As top judge at the regional contest, Krista received the Carl Ziesemer Award. Bennet placed second overall, first in cottage cheese and yogurt, second in cheddar cheese, and third in butter and ice cream. Katelyn was ninth overall and placed sixth in cottage cheese. In the graduate student contest, Steve placed seventh overall and was first in ice cream and fourth in Cheddar cheese. The contest was hosted by Kraft Heinz Company, and sponsored by 24 dairy companies and suppliers.

2015

National Contest

South Dakota State University’s Dairy Products Judging Team placed first in All Products at the 2015 Collegiate Dairy Products Evaluation Contest, held Sept. 15 at the International Dairy Show in Chicago, Illinois. In dairy products judging, students evaluate the appearance, texture and flavor of six dairy products (milk, butter, cheddar cheese, ice cream, yogurt and cottage cheese). This training is important for students in dairy science because it allows them to determine if products have quality defects. Members of the judging team often obtain a position in quality control or manufacturing and they use their product judging skill to identify issues and improve the quality of dairy products.

This was the eighth consecutive year that ³ÉÈËÊÓƵ has won the National Championship. ³ÉÈËÊÓƵ has a long history at the contest and has won the national championship 23 times in the 94 year history of the contest. The team placed first in butter, Cheddar cheese, cottage cheese and ice cream and placed second in milk and yogurt. A total of 44 undergraduate and graduate contestants from 12 universities in the U.S. and Canada participated in the contest.

³ÉÈËÊÓƵ team members were Nicole Jax, Waltham, Minnesota; Michaela VanderWal, Milbank, South Dakota; Kaylee Wegner, Faribault, Minnesota; and Dikshi Bawa, Karnal, India. The team is coached by Lloyd Metzger, ³ÉÈËÊÓƵ professor of dairy science and Alfred Chair in Dairy Education; Natasha Laska, ³ÉÈËÊÓƵ graduate student; and Lee Alexander, ³ÉÈËÊÓƵ graduate student.

Nicole placed first overall, second in yogurt, milk, butter and cottage cheese, and fourth in ice cream. As the top overall judge Nicole received the Robert Rosenbaum Award. Michaela placed fourth overall, fourth in cheddar cheese, fifth in cottage cheese, and sixth in milk. Kaylee was sixth overall, first in Cheddar cheese and second in ice cream. In the graduate student contest, Dikshi placed first overall and was first in ice cream, second in butter, and third in yogurt and cottage cheese. As the top overall graduate student judge Dikshi received the Genevieve Christen Award.

For placing first overall, the ³ÉÈËÊÓƵ team won the Shirley Seas Memorial Scholarship. This scholarship is in memory of Shirley Seas, who coached the ³ÉÈËÊÓƵ team for 21 years. Metzger also received the Aurelia and George Weigold Coach of the Year Award.

The contest was hosted by the International Dairy Show and the International Dairy Foods Association and was sponsored by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and more than 30 dairy associations, companies and suppliers.

Regional Contest

South Dakota State University’s Dairy Products Judging Team placed first in All Products at the 2015 Midwest Dairy Products Evaluation Contest, held September 12 at Kraft Heinz Technology Center in Glenview, IL. The team also placed first in cottage cheese, butter, and ice cream. A total of 32 undergraduate and graduate contestants from eight universities participated in the contest.

³ÉÈËÊÓƵ team members were Nicole Jax, Waltham, Minnesota; Michaela VanderWal, Milbank, South Dakota; Kaylee Wegner, Faribault, Minnesota; and Dikshi Bawa, Karnal, India. The team is coached by Lloyd Metzger, ³ÉÈËÊÓƵ professor of dairy science and Alfred Chair in Dairy Education; Natasha Laska, ³ÉÈËÊÓƵ graduate student; and Lee Alexander, ³ÉÈËÊÓƵ graduate student.

Kaylee placed first overall and second in butter and cottage cheese. As top judge at the regional contest, Kaylee received the Carl Ziesemer Award. Michaela placed third overall, third in cottage cheese and fourth in cheddar cheese. Nicole was seventh overall and placed first in cottage cheese. In the graduate student contest, Dikshi placed first overall and was first in Cheddar cheese and Milk and second in ice cream and cottage cheese.

The contest was sponsored by Kraft Heinz Company, National Dairy Shrine, and Cargill.

2014

National Contest

South Dakota State University’s Dairy Products Judging Team placed first in All Products at the 2014 Collegiate Dairy Products Evaluation Contest, held Nov. 8 at Northern Illinois University in Hoffman Estates, Illinois. In dairy products judging, students evaluate the appearance, texture, and flavor of six dairy products (milk, butter, Cheddar cheese, ice cream, yogurt and cottage cheese). This training is important for students in dairy science because it allows them to determine if products have quality defects. Members of the judging team often obtain a position in quality control or manufacturing and they use their products judging skill to identify issues and improve the quality of dairy products.

This was the seventh consecutive year that ³ÉÈËÊÓƵ won the National Championship. ³ÉÈËÊÓƵ has a long history at the contest and has won the national championship 22 times in the 93 year history of the contest. The team placed first in butter and ice cream, second in Cheddar cheese, third in yogurt and cottage cheese, and fourth in milk. A total of 44 undergraduate and graduate contestants from 12 universities in the U.S. and Canada participated in the contest.

³ÉÈËÊÓƵ team members were Rachel Achen, Warner, South Dakota; Rachel Johnson, Russel, Minnesota; Natasha Laska, Norfolk, Nebraska; and Somil Gupta, Panipat, India. The team is coached by Lloyd Metzger, ³ÉÈËÊÓƵ professor of dairy science and Alfred Chair in Dairy Education and Lee Alexander, ³ÉÈËÊÓƵ graduate student.

Achen placed fifth overall, first in butter and third in ice cream and Cheddar cheese. As the top judge in butter, Achen received the Bert Aldrich Award. Laska placed fourth overall, second in butter and fourth in yogurt.  Johnson was third overall, second in ice cream and milk, and fourth in butter. In the graduate student contest, Somil placed sixth overall and was third in milk and butter.

For placing first overall, the ³ÉÈËÊÓƵ team won the Shirley Seas Memorial Scholarship. This scholarship is in memory of Shirley Seas, who coached the ³ÉÈËÊÓƵ team for 21 years. Metzger also received the Aurelia and George Weigold Coach of the Year Award.

The contest was hosted by Tate and Lyle and was sponsored by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and more than 25 dairy associations, companies and suppliers.

Regional Contest

South Dakota State University’s Dairy Products Judging Team placed second in All Products at the 2014 Midwest Dairy Products Evaluation Contest, held Oct. 25 at Kraft Technology Center in Glenview, Illinois. The team also placed first in cottage cheese, butter, and ice cream. A total of 27 undergraduate and graduate contestants from seven universities participated in the contest.

³ÉÈËÊÓƵ team members were Rachel Achen, Warner, South Dakota; Rachel Johnson, Russel, Minnesota; Natasha Laska, Norfolk, Nebraska; and Somil Gupta, Panipat, India. The team is coached by Lloyd Metzger, ³ÉÈËÊÓƵ professor of dairy science and Alfred Chair in Dairy Education and Lee Alexander, ³ÉÈËÊÓƵ graduate student.

Achen placed first overall and first in Cheddar cheese and cottage cheese. As top judge at the regional contest, Achen received the Carl Ziesemer Award. Laska placed second overall, second in butter and third in milk and ice cream. Johnson was tenth overall and placed first in ice cream and third in cottage cheese. In the graduate student contest, Somil Gupta placed fourth overall and was first in cheddar cheese and butter.

The contest was sponsored by Kraft, Chicago Section Institute of Food Technologists, National Dairy Shrine and Cargill.

2013

National Contest

Pictured with their collection of trophies won at the recent 2013 Midwest Dairy Products Evaluation Contest and 92nd Annual Collegiate Dairy Products Evaluation Contest is ³ÉÈËÊÓƵ dairy products judging team which won the program's sixth-straight national title and 21st overall.  Jones, a senior from Huron, was the individual champion at both events.

Taylor Jones, a senior from Huron, received the Robert Rosenbaum Award as the undergraduate champion in the individual all products category. He also was second in ice cream, third in butter and cheddar cheese, and fourth in milk. ³ÉÈËÊÓƵ’s streak of six-straight titles is the longest in the event’s history. Overall, ³ÉÈËÊÓƵ placed first in ice cream and cottage cheese, second in butter, third in yogurt and fifth in milk and cheddar cheese. As the national champion, ³ÉÈËÊÓƵ won the Shirley Seas Memorial Scholarship, which is in honor of Shirley Seas, who coached ³ÉÈËÊÓƵ for 21 years.

Other ³ÉÈËÊÓƵ individuals competing were:

• Timothy Pennings, a senior from Arlington, finished first in cottage cheese and fifth in all products. 
• Megan Huegli, a senior from Hartland, Wisconsin, was third in ice cream, fourth in yogurt and sixth overall.
•  Suresh Sutariya, a graduate student from Ahmedabad, India, was first in butter and second in yogurt, milk and ice cream on his way to a second-place overall finish. 

Lloyd Metzger, a ³ÉÈËÊÓƵ professor of dairy science and the Alfred Chair in Dairy Education, and Cassandra Hulstein, a ³ÉÈËÊÓƵ student and winner of the 2012 undergraduate individual all products title, coach the team. Metzger received the Aurelia and George Weigold Coach of the Year Award. A total of 41 undergraduate and graduate contestants from 11 universities in the U.S. and Canada participated in the contest. The contest was hosted by the International Dairy Show and the International Dairy Foods Association and was sponsored by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and more than 20 dairy associations, companies and suppliers.

Regional Contest

The South Dakota State University dairy products judging team won the all products team title at the 2013 Midwest Dairy Products Evaluation Contest. The event was held Oct. 19 at the Kraft Technology Center in Glenview, Ill. Taylor Jones, a senior from Huron, won the Carl Ziesemer Award as the all products champion. He finished third in butter, ice cream and cheddar cheese. Suresh Sutariya, a graduate student from Ahmedabad, India, won the graduate division and received the Genevieve Christen Award. He was first in cottage cheese and second in yogurt. Timothy Pennings, a senior from Arlington, was third overall after finishing first in cottage cheese and fourth in butter while Megan Huegli, a senior from Hartland, Wis., was sixth overall after placing second in butter and fourth in cheddar cheese. As the team champion, ³ÉÈËÊÓƵ won the Nick Fabricius Award. The team also won the butter, cottage cheese and cheddar cheese divisions. There were 29 undergraduate and graduate contestants from seven universities in the contest. Lloyd Metzger, a ³ÉÈËÊÓƵ professor of dairy science and the Alfred Chair in Dairy Education, and Cassandra Hulstein, a ³ÉÈËÊÓƵ student, are the team’s coaches. The 2013 Midwest Dairy Products Evaluation Contest was sponsored by the Chicago Section Institute of Food Technologists, National Dairy Shrine, Cargill and Mr. and Mrs. Donald Tribby.

2012

National Contest

South Dakota State University’s Dairy Products Judging Team placed first in All Products at the 2012 Collegiate Dairy Products Evaluation Contest, held Nov. 3 in Springfield, Missouri. This was the fifth consecutive year in a row that the ³ÉÈËÊÓƵ Dairy Products Judging Team won the National Championship. ³ÉÈËÊÓƵ has a long history at the contest and has won the national championship 20 times in the 91 year history of the contest. The team placed first in milk and Cheddar cheese, second in ice cream, third in cottage cheese, fourth in butter, and fifth in yogurt. A total of 53 undergraduate and graduate contestants from 17 universities in the U.S. and Canada participated in the contest. ³ÉÈËÊÓƵ team members were Austin Asche, Hutchinson, Minnesota; Cassandra Hulstein, Edgerton, Minnesota; Lee Alexander, Milbank, South Dakota; and Laura Mealy, Springfield, Oregon. The team is coached by Lloyd Metzger, ³ÉÈËÊÓƵ professor of dairy science and Alfred Chair in Dairy Education and Justin Ochsner, ³ÉÈËÊÓƵ student. Hulstein placed first overall and fourth in ice cream and cheddar cheese. As top judge in the nation, Hulstein received the Robert Rosenbaum Award. Asche placed third overall, and first in cheddar cheese and milk and third in cottage cheese. As the third place judge in the nation Asche received the Harold Roberts Award. Alexander was fourth overall and placed fifth in cheddar cheese and seventh in butter. In the graduate student contest, Mealy placed first overall and was first in butter, ice cream and cottage cheese. As top judge in the graduate contest, Mealy received the Genevieve Christen Award. For placing first overall, the ³ÉÈËÊÓƵ team won the Shirley Seas Memorial Scholarship. This scholarship is in memory of Shirley Seas, who coached the ³ÉÈËÊÓƵ team for 21 years. Metzger also received the Aurelia and George Weigold Coach of the Year Award. The contest was hosted by DairiConcepts and was sponsored by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Food Processing Suppliers Association, Arthur W. Nesbitt, Chr. Hansen Inc., , , , , , , , , , and . 

Regional Contest

South Dakota State University’s Dairy Products Judging Team placed first in All Products at the 2012 Midwest Dairy Products Evaluation Contest, held on Oct. 20 at Kraft Technology Center in Glenview, Illinois. For placing first overall, the ³ÉÈËÊÓƵ team won the Nick Fabricius Award. The team also placed first in milk, butter and cheddar cheese. A total of 30 undergraduate and graduate contestants from 10 universities participated in the contest. ³ÉÈËÊÓƵ team members were Austin Asche, Hutchinson, Minnesota; Cassandra Hulstein, Edgerton, Minnesota; Lee Alexander, Milbank, South Dakota; and Laura Mealy, Springfield, Oregon. The team is coached by Lloyd Metzger, ³ÉÈËÊÓƵ professor of dairy science and Alfred Chair in Dairy Education, and Justin Ochsner, ³ÉÈËÊÓƵ student. Also participating in the contest were alternates Timothy Pennings, Saint Petersburg, Florida and Taylor Jones, Huron, South Dakota.  Asche placed first overall and first in milk; second in butter, cheddar cheese, ice cream and yogurt; and fourth in cottage cheese. As top judge at the regional contest, Asche received the Carl Ziesemer Award. Hulstein placed second overall, second in cottage cheese, third in yogurt, fourth in ice cream, and fifth in cheddar cheese and butter. Alexander was 14th overall and placed second in butter and fourth in cheddar cheese. In the graduate student contest, Mealy placed first overall and was first in yogurt, milk, and cottage cheese. As top judge in the graduate contest, Mealy received the Genevieve Christen Award.  The contest was sponsored by the Chicago Dairy Technology Society.

2011

National Contest

South Dakota State University’s Dairy Products Judging Team placed first in All Products in the 2011 90th Collegiate Dairy Products Evaluation Contest, held Nov. 5 at Kraft Technology Center in Glenview, Illinois. This was the fourth year in a row that the Dairy Products Judging Team won the National Championship. The team placed first in milk, butter, yogurt and Cheddar cheese. A total of 40 undergraduate and graduate contestants from 11 universities in the U.S. and Canada participated in the contest. ³ÉÈËÊÓƵ team members were Luke Rensink, Freeman, South Dakota; Justin Ochsner, New London, Minnesota; Angie Klaers, Wabasso, Minnesota; and Som Khanal, Putalisadak Kathmandu, Nepal. Rensink placed first overall and first in ice cream, second in butter and third in yogurt and cheddar cheese. As top judge in the nation, Rensink received the Robert Rosenbaum Award. Ochsner placed fourth overall, and second in cheddar cheese and fourth in yogurt and butter. Klaers was fifth overall and placed first in butter and second in milk. As the top butter judge, Klaers received the Bert Aldrich Award. In the graduate student contest, Khanal placed first overall and was first in yogurt, cheddar cheese, ice cream, and cottage cheese. As top judge in the graduate contest, Khanal received the Genevieve Christen Award. For placing first overall, the ³ÉÈËÊÓƵ team won the Shirley Seas Memorial Scholarship. This scholarship is in memory of Shirley Seas, who coached the ³ÉÈËÊÓƵ team for 21 years. Metzger also received the Aurelia and George Weigold Coach of the Year Award. The contest was sponsored by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Food Processing Suppliers Association, Chr. Hansen, Inc., and the American Dairy Science Association. The team was coached by Lloyd Metzger, associate professor of dairy science and Alfred Chair in Dairy Education, and Eric McNeel, ³ÉÈËÊÓƵ student.

2010

National Contest

South Dakota State University's Dairy Products Judging Team placed first in All Products in the 2010 89th Collegiate Dairy Products Evaluation Contest, held on Nov. 12 at Archer Daniels Midland Company James R. Randall Research Center in Decatur, Illinois. This was the third year in a row for the Dairy Products Judging Team to win the National Championship. The team placed first in milk, butter, ice cream and cheddar cheese. A total of 38 undergraduate and graduate contestants from 10 universities in the U.S. and Canada participated in the contest. ³ÉÈËÊÓƵ team members were Samantha Erickson, Postville, Iowa; Rebecca Hanson, Brandon; Eric McNeel, Blackfoot, Idaho; and Gagan Deep, Kurukshetra, India. The team is coached by Bob Baer, ³ÉÈËÊÓƵ professor of dairy science and Lloyd Metzger, ³ÉÈËÊÓƵ associate professor of dairy science and Alfred Chair in Dairy Education. Erickson placed first overall, including first in milk, butter and cheddar cheese. As top judge in the nation, Erickson received the Robert Rosenbaum Award and lifetime membership in the National Dairy Shrine. She has also been invited to participate in the spring 2011 Quality Chekd Dairies, Inc. annual conference in St. Louis. Hanson placed fourth overall, first in ice cream and second in milk and butter. She was awarded lifetime membership in the National Dairy Shrine. McNeel was 12th overall and placed fifth in cheddar cheese. In the graduate student contest, Deep placed first overall and was first in milk, butter, ice cream, cottage cheese and yogurt. As top judge in the graduate contest, Deep received the Genevieve Christen Award. For placing first overall, the ³ÉÈËÊÓƵ team won the Shirley Seas Memorial Scholarship. This scholarship is in memory of Shirley Seas, who coached the ³ÉÈËÊÓƵ team for 21 years. Baer also received the Aurelia and George Weigold Coach of the Year Award. The contest was sponsored by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Food Processing Suppliers Association, Chr. Hansen, Inc., and the American Dairy Science Association.

Regional Contest

The South Dakota State University Dairy Products Judging Team placed second at the Midwest Regional Dairy Products Evaluation Contest, held Oct. 23 at Kraft in Glenview, Illinois. Team members were Samantha Erickson, Postville, Iowa; Rebecca Hanson, Brandon; Eric McNeel, Blackfoot, Idaho; and Gagan Deep, Kurukshetra, India. Rebecca Hanson placed first, Eric McNeel placed second and Samantha Erickson placed third overall in the contest. Gagan Deep placed first in the graduate student contest. Eight teams from seven states with 30 contestants participated in the contest. The ³ÉÈËÊÓƵ team placed first in milk, yogurt, ice cream and cottage cheese. Alternate team members who will compete officially next year included Angela Klaers; Wabasso, Minnesota; Justin Ochsner, New London, Minnesota; and Luke Rensink, Freeman. The team was coached by Bob Baer, professor of dairy science and Lloyd Metzger, associate professor of dairy science and Alfred Chair in Dairy Education.

2009

National Contest

South Dakota State University's Dairy Products Judging Team placed first in All Products in the 2009 National Collegiate Dairy Products Evaluation Contest, held Oct. 31 at Kraft Foods in Glenview, Illinois. The team placed first in cheddar cheese, milk, yogurt and butter and second in ice cream and cottage cheese. A total of 50 undergraduate and graduate contestants from 16 universities in the U.S. and Canada participated in the contest. ³ÉÈËÊÓƵ team members were Jordan Dorneman, Milbank; Nicole Stevens, Pipestone, Minnesota; Cassey Utke, Brandon; and Oliver Janevski, Skopje, Macedonia. Alternate team members included Sami Erickson, Postville, Iowa; Becky Hanson, Brandon; and Eric McNeel, Blackfoot, Idaho. The team is coached by Bob Baer, ³ÉÈËÊÓƵ professor of dairy science.

Utke placed first overall, including first in cottage cheese, second in butter, and third in ice cream and yogurt. Dorneman placed second overall, first in cheddar cheese and yogurt and second in milk. Stevens was third overall and third in milk and cheddar cheese. In the graduate student contest, Janevski placed first overall, first in yogurt, milk, cheddar cheese and butter and second in ice cream. The ³ÉÈËÊÓƵ team became the first entrant in the contest's 88 years to sweep the top three places in the overall undergraduate competition

For placing first overall, the ³ÉÈËÊÓƵ team won the Shirley Seas Memorial Scholarship. This scholarship is in memory of Shirley Seas, who coached the ³ÉÈËÊÓƵ team for 21 years. Baer also received the Aurelia and George Weigold Coach of the Year Award.

As top judge in the nation, Utke received the Robert Rosenbaum Award and lifetime membership in the National Dairy Shrine. As second place judge, Dorneman received the Everett Byers Memorial Award and in March 2010 has been invited to participate in the World Championship Cheese Contest in Madison, Wisconsin. For placing third, Stevens received the Harold Roberts Award. As top judge in the graduate student contest, Janevski received the Genevieve Christen Award. The team has been invited to participate in the spring 2010 Quality Chekd Dairies, Inc. annual conference in Dallas, Texas.

The contest was sponsored by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Food Processing Suppliers Association and the American Dairy Science Association.

2008

National Contest

South Dakota State University's Dairy Products Judging Team placed first in All Products in the 2008 National Collegiate Dairy Products Evaluation Contest, held Oct. 22 in Newark, Ohio. The contest was sponsored by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Food Processing Suppliers Association, and the American Dairy Science Association. A total of 58 undergraduate and graduate contestants from 15 universities in the U.S. and Canada participated in the contest. The ³ÉÈËÊÓƵ team placed first in Cheddar cheese, milk and butter, second in ice cream, fifth in cottage cheese and sixth in yogurt.

³ÉÈËÊÓƵ team members were Jessica Berg, Baltic; Tricia Schuller, Alcester; Abbie Wirt, Lewiston, Minnesota; and Vandana Panchal, Anand, India. The team is coached by Bob Baer, ³ÉÈËÊÓƵ professor of dairy science. Wirt placed first overall, including first in butter, second in cheddar cheese and fourth in cottage cheese. Schuller placed second overall, first in cheddar cheese and second in milk. Berg was eighth overall and sixth in cheddar cheese. In the graduate student contest, Vandana Panchal placed first overall, first in Cheddar cheese and ice cream and second in yogurt and milk.

For placing first overall, the ³ÉÈËÊÓƵ team won the Shirley Seas Memorial Scholarship. This scholarship is in memory of Shirley Seas, who coached the ³ÉÈËÊÓƵ team for 21 years. Baer also received the Aurelia and George Weigold Coach of the Year Award.

As top judge in the nation, Wirt received the Robert Rosenbaum Award and lifetime membership in the National Dairy Shrine. In addition, she has been invited to participate in the spring 2009 Quality Chekd Dairies, Inc. annual conference in Kansas City, Missouri. As second place judge, Schuller received the Everett Byers Memorial Award and lifetime membership in the National Dairy Shrine, will attend the Quality Chekd Dairies conference, and will participate in March 2009 in the U.S. Championship Cheese Contest at the Lambeau Field Atrium in Green Bay, Wisconsin.

Midwest Regional Contest

The South Dakota State University Dairy Products Judging Team placed second at the Midwest Regional Dairy Products Evaluation Contest, held on Oct. 11 in Glenview, Illinois. Team members are Jessica Berg, Baltic; Tricia Schuller, Alcester; Abbie Wirt, Lewiston, Minnesota; and Vandana Panchal, Anand, India. Berg placed fifth overall in the contest and first in cottage cheese. Schuller placed first in the contest and was first in butter and second in ice cream and cottage cheese. Wirt placed second in the event and was first in cheddar cheese and third in butter and cottage cheese. Panchal received first place in the graduate student contest and first in cheddar cheese, butter and ice cream.

Eight teams from seven states with 33 contestants participated in the contest. The ³ÉÈËÊÓƵ team placed first in cheddar cheese, butter, and cottage cheese. Alternate team members who will compete officially next year included Jordan Dorneman, Milbank; Nicki Stevens, Pipestone, Minnesota; and Cassey Utke, Brandon.

2007

National Contest

The South Dakota State University Dairy Products Judging Team placed third in All Products in the 2007 National Collegiate Dairy Products Judging Contest, which was held in Las Vegas Oct. 15 in conjunction with the Pack Expo. Twenty universities, including 70 undergraduate and graduate contestants from the U.S. and Canada, competed in the contest. The ³ÉÈËÊÓƵ team members were Tori Boomgaarden, Pipestone, Minnesota; Derek Griesse, Harrisburg; Jonah King, Volga; and Ashish Pandit, Bhadran, India. King placed first overall and was first in yogurt and ice cream. As first place individual, King was invited to be a judge at the Quality Chekd Dairy Products Association Meeting in Dallas, Texas in April. Boomgaarden placed sixth overall and was second in yogurt and ice cream and third in Cheddar cheese. Griesse placed 15th overall and was first in Cheddar cheese. For placing first in Cheddar cheese, Griesse was invited to be a judge at the World Championship Cheese Contest in Madison, Wisconsin in March. In the graduate student contest Pandit placed third overall, first in cottage cheese and Cheddar cheese, second in yogurt, and third in ice cream. Team rankings were first in yogurt, ice cream and cheddar cheese, second in milk, and fourth in cottage cheese. The team is coached by Bob Baer, professor of dairy science.

Midwest Regional Contest

The South Dakota State University Dairy Products Judging Team placed first at the Midwest Regional Dairy Products Evaluation Contest, which was held Sept. 29 in Glenview, Illinois at Kraft Foods. Team members were Tori Boomgaarden, Pipestone, Minnesota; Derek Griesse, Harrisburg; Jonah King, Volga; and Ashish Pandit, Bhadran, India. King placed fourth in the contest and first in yogurt and cheddar cheese. Boomgaarden placed sixth in the contest, first in cottage cheese, second in cheddar cheese, and third in yogurt. Griesse placed eighth in the contest and third in ice cream. Pandit placed first to win the graduate student contest, and was first in butter and cheddar cheese. Nine teams and 36 contestants participated in the contest. The team placed first in cheddar cheese, cottage cheese, and yogurt. Alternate team members were Jessica Berg, Baltic and Abbie Wirt, Lewiston, Minnesota. The team will compete at the National Contest on Oct. 15 in Las Vegas The team is coached by Bob Baer, professor of dairy science.

2006

National Contest

The South Dakota State University Dairy Products Judging Team placed fourth in All Products in the 2006 National Collegiate Dairy Products Judging Contest, which was held in Chicago on Oct. 30 in conjunction with the Pack Expo. Nineteen universities, including 65 undergraduate and graduate contestants from the US and Canada, competed in the contest. The ³ÉÈËÊÓƵ team members were Kari Gorsuch, Arlington; Travis Holscher, Twin Brooks; Jenna Mueller, Big Stone City; and Darshan Purohit, Gujarat, India. Mueller placed seventh overall, including second in yogurt, fourth in butter, and sixth in ice cream. Gorsuch placed ninth overall and was fourth in milk and seventh in yogurt and ice cream. Holscher placed nineteenth and was sixth in yogurt and seventh in butter. In the graduate student contest Purohit placed first overall, first in cheddar cheese and yogurt, second in milk, fourth in butter, fifth in cottage cheese, and sixth in ice cream. As top judge in the graduate contest Purohit received the Genevieve Christen Award. Team rankings were second in butter and yogurt, sixth in ice cream and cottage cheese, and seventh in milk. The team is coached by Dr. Bob Baer, professor of dairy science.

Midwest Regional Contest

The South Dakota State University Dairy Products Judging Team placed second at the Midwest Regional Dairy Products Evaluation Contest, which was held in Glenview, Illinois at Kraft Foods. Team members were Kari Gorsuch, Arlington; Travis Holscher, Twin Brooks; Jenna Mueller, Big Stone City; and Darshan Purohit, Gujarat, India. Mueller placed fourth in the contest and first in cheddar cheese and butter. Holscher placed ninth in the contest and third in ice cream. Gorsuch placed eleventh in the contest, second in cheddar cheese and cottage cheese, and fourth in ice cream. Darshan Purohit placed second in the graduate student contest, first in butter, second in cottage cheese, and third in milk and Cheddar cheese. Eleven teams and 37 contestants participated in the contest. The team placed first in Cheddar cheese and cottage cheese, and third in ice cream. Alternate team members were Tori Boomgaarden, Pipestone, Minnesota; Derek Griesse, Harrisburg; Jenna Heck, Beardsley, Minnesota; and Jonah King, Volga. The team is coached by Dr. Bob Baer, professor of dairy science.

2005

National Contest

The South Dakota State University Dairy Products Judging Team placed first in All Products in the 2005 National Collegiate Dairy Products Judging Contest, which was held in Chicago on Oct. 28 in conjunction with the World Wide Food Expo. Seventeen universities, including 64 undergraduate and graduate contestants from the U.S. and Canada, competed in the contest. The ³ÉÈËÊÓƵ team members, coached by Bob Baer were Richard DeRouchey of Mitchell, South Dakota, Jason Nissen of Bushnell, South Dakota, Donovan Halajian of Milbank, South Dakota and Nirupama Nigam of Anand, India. Richard DeRouchey placed first overall, including second in butter, third in milk and fifth in ice cream. Donovan Halajian placed eleventh overall in the contest, first in Cottage cheese and third in Cheddar cheese. Jason Nissen was twelfth overall, second in ice cream, third in cottage cheese, and fourth in cheddar. In the graduate student contest, Nirupama Nigam placed second overall, first in butter, second in yogurt and cottage cheese, and fifth in milk. The team rankings were first in cottage cheese and cheddar cheese, second in butter and ice cream, fourth in yogurt, and sixth in milk. Bob Baer also received the Aurelia and George Weigold Coach of the Year Award. For placing first overall as a team, the ³ÉÈËÊÓƵ team also won the Shirley Seas Memorial Scholarship. This scholarship is in memory of Shirley Seas, who coached the ³ÉÈËÊÓƵ team for 21 years. As the top judge in the nation, Richard DeRouchey received the Robert Rosenbaum Award and lifetime membership in the National Dairy Shrine. In addition, he has been invited to participate in the Quality Chekd Dairies, Inc. annual Conference in St. Louis and the World Cheese Contest of the Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association in Madison, Wisconsin in 2006. Earlier in the fall, the ³ÉÈËÊÓƵ team also placed first overall at the Midwest Regional Contest in Chicago.

Midwest Regional Contest

The South Dakota State University Dairy Products Judging Team coached by Bob Baer won the Midwest Regional Dairy Products Evaluation Contest. The team took first place in the "All Products" category to win the contest, which was held in Glenview, Illinois at Kraft Foods on Oct. 8. Team members were Richard DeRouchey, Mitchell; Don Halajian, Milbank; Jason Nissen, Bushnell; and Nirupama Nigam, Gujarat, India. Nissen placed first in the contest, second in yogurt and butter, and third in cheddar cheese and cottage cheese. DeRouchey placed sixth in the contest, third in ice cream, and fourth in cottage cheese. Halajian placed seventh in the contest and was second in milk. Nirupama Nigam placed first in the graduate student contest, first in milk and cheddar cheese, second in butter, ice cream and cottage cheese, and third in yogurt. Gurmeet Singh placed third in cottage cheese. Eight teams and 31 contestants participated in the contest. The team placed 1st in cottage cheese and ice cream and 2nd in cheddar cheese and butter, and 3rd in milk and yogurt. Alternate team members were Travis Holscher of Twin Brooks and Jenna Mueller of Big Stone City.

2004

National Contest

At the National Contest in Lakeland, Florida on Nov. 5 the team placed 4th out of 18 teams. The team was 2nd in cheddar cheese and 3rd in milk. Amber placed 4th, Jean was 10th, and Brandon was 19th in All Products. Brandon placed 2nd overall in milk. In the graduate contest Mandeep Patel was 3rd in yogurt, butter, cottage cheese and All Products.

Midwest Regional Contest

The Dairy Products Judging Team coached by Bob Baer and including Amber Sperlich, Jean Hughes, Brandon Sahr, and Mandeep Patel (graduate student) placed sixth in the Midwest Regional Contest in Glenview, Illinois on Oct. 25, 2004. The team placed 2nd in cottage cheese and 4th in butter. Jean Hughes placed 1st in cottage cheese and 2nd in butter. Brandon Sahr was 4th in yogurt. In the graduate contest, Mandeep Patel was 1st in ice cream and cottage cheese and 3rd in All Products.

2003

National Contest

The ³ÉÈËÊÓƵ Dairy Products Judging Team took third place in All Products at the 82nd Collegiate Dairy Products Evaluation Contest in Chicago. Team members were Jacob Hammerly of Ames, Iowa, Annie Milbrandt of Elmore, Minnesota, Dallas Vaughn of Dallas and Ananya Biswas of Calcutta, India. Seventeen teams and sixty four contestants competed in the contest. Milbrandt placed fourth in the contest, first in butter and yogurt, third in ice cream, and fourth in cottage cheese. She won the Bert Aldrich butter award and the Joe Larson Merit Award for the student that displayed the most professional appearance and attitude during the contest. Vaughn placed sixth in the contest, first in cheddar cheese, and fourth in yogurt. Hammerly placed eighth in the contest, third in butter, and fifth in yogurt. Biswas placed first in the graduate student contest, first in ice cream and yogurt, second in cheddar cheese, cottage cheese and milk, and third in butter. He received the Genevieve Christen All Products graduate student award.

Midwest Regional Contest

The South Dakota State University Dairy Products Judging Team took first place in All Products to win the Midwest Regional Dairy Products Evaluation Contest in Glenview, Illinois. The team placed first in butter, cottage cheese and ice cream and second in Cheddar cheese and yogurt. Team members were Jacob Hammerly, Ames, Iowa; Annie Milbrandt, Elmore, Minn.; Dallas Vaughn, Dallas; and Ananya Biswas, Calcutta, India. Annie Milbrandt placed third in the contest, second in butter, and third in cottage cheese. Dallas Vaughn placed sixth in the contest, first in butter, second in cottage cheese, and third in ice cream. Jake Hammerly was seventh in the contest and second in ice cream. Ananya Biswas placed second in the graduate student contest. Nine teams and 35 contestants participated in the contest. Alternate team members were Jean Hughes, Alcester and Amber Sperlich, Parkston. Bob Baer coaches the team.