Posted: November 21, 2025
The team competed at their final national contest at the NAILE in Louisville, KY, where they placed 12th Overall and celebrated an Academic All-American—the second student in program history to earn this honor.
After countless hours of grit and determination, the team loaded up the van for their final trip to Louisville, KY, to compete at the national contest at NAILE. For a group of in-house students with no previous judging experience, every late night and every ounce of effort led to this moment—and their passion truly paid off. Competing against 25 teams and 116 contestants, the team earned 12th Overall, 10th in Cattle, 13th in Swine, and 14th in Sheep and Goats. Individual success was highlighted by Megan Zipprich, who placed 23rd Overall and 14th in Swine, and was also 1 of only 10 students nationwide to receive the Academic All-American award—becoming just the second individual from Penn State to ever earn this prestigious honor. Dave Schultheis followed closely with 31st Overall, 20th in Cattle, and an impressive 2nd in Placings. Sydney Phipps also had a strong performance, finishing 28th in Cattle. The team extends a heartfelt Thank You to everyone who supported us along the way—those who opened their barns, listened to reasons, traveled with us, or simply offered encouragement when it was needed most. Your support made this journey possible. We could not chase this passion without the incredible people and organizations who are always in our corner. This may mark the end of a chapter, but the individuals these students have become are here to stay. WE ARE proud!
