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SUNY Canton Steel Bridge Team Earns Second Place at Regional Competition

Canton, NY (04/24/2026) — The SUNY Canton American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) Student Chapter Steel Bridge Team earned second place overall at the American Institute of Steel Construction (AISC) Upstate New York - Canada Regional Steel Bridge Competition, held April 10 and 11 at Rochester Institute of Technology.

"We have a fantastic group of hardworking, dedicated and enthusiastic students in the ASCE Student Chapter," said Associate Professor Adrienne Rygel, Ph.D., who teaches in the Civil and Environmental Engineering Technology program. "As their faculty advisor, it was very rewarding to see their excitement at the competition when they realized that they could apply their academic knowledge and skills and compete with the best in the region."

In addition to the overall second-place finish, the team earned first place in both the stiffness and structural efficiency categories. The bridge also earned second place for lightness and third place awards in cost estimation and construction economy. The University at Buffalo placed first overall, followed by Cornell University in third.

Rygel noted that the team is continuing a college tradition of placing in the regional competition and of competing in a national forum. Based on their performance, the SUNY Canton team has been invited to compete at the national Student Steel Bridge Competition in El Paso, Texas, scheduled for late May. Students are preparing for their next appearance and will be looking to continue their momentum into next year.

The bridge design was developed under the guidance of Associate Professor Saeid Haji Ghasemali, Ph.D. Canino School of Engineering Technology Instructional Support Associates Neil Haney and Andrew Reiter helped students build the bridge. Team Captain and Project Manager Mitch Timerman, a junior in the Mechanical Engineering program from La Fargeville, was the primary manufacturer for this year's bridge.

"We performed really well this year, especially considering the obstacles we had to overcome that easily could have stopped us from competing," Timerman said. "Despite the setbacks, we had the least deflection and the best weight-to-deflection ratio."

He is also a member of the build team who rapidly assembles the bridge for competition, which also includes:

  • Ciara McDougal of Gouverneur
  • George Staats of Essex
  • Ryan Willard of Hermon

Other SUNY Canton ASCE Student Chapter members include:

  • Cedric Barkauskas of Thendara
  • Mathew Bleau of Heuvelton
  • Ali Cisse of the Bronx
  • Jad Karroum of Ogdensburg
  • Brett Miller of Potsdam
  • Olivia Mezzacappa of Plattsburgh
  • Trinity Novak of Elizabethtown
  • Gage Perry of Mineville
  • Skylar Saumier of Norwood
  • Nathan St. Louis of Morrisonville
  • Seth Thomas of Canton
  • Owen Thompson of Ogdensburg
  • Gabe Wainwright of Richville
  • Nate Woods of Ogdensburg

The team credited its success to the collective efforts of students, faculty, college administration, alumni, and supporters.

The Canton College Foundation has launched "Back the Bridge Team," rallying alumni and friends to support the Steel Bridge team as they head to the AISC National Competition in El Paso, Texas. Supporters can send messages via a short form on the SUNY Canton Alumni Association homepage to receive behind-the-scenes updates or make donations to help the team offset the cost of attending the upcoming national competition.

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The SUNY Canton Steel Bridge Team constructs their bridge during a regional competition held recently at Rochester Institute of Technology. Build team members Ciara McDougal of Gouverneur, Ryan Willard of Hermon, George Staats of Essex, and Mitch Timerman of La Fargeville, assemble the bridge in front of judges and onlookers.

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