Woodsmen’s Team Dominates First Competition of the Year

Paul Smiths, NY ~ Paul Smith's College hosted the first collegiate woodsmen's competition of the 2025-2026 season on Saturday.  More than 160 competitors, from eleven colleges around the northeast competed in fifteen different traditional woods skills.  Teams were divided into four different divisions: Men's, Women's, Jack & Jill, and Open.  The competition included events like Crosscut Saw, Pole Climb, Axe Throw and Standing Block.

 

"There is no better place to compete in our sport than Paul Smith's College," said Keith Braun, the head coach for the Bobcat's woodsmen's team and Meet Director.  "We are fortunate to have a supportive campus community, features like the Gould Hoyt Arena and Forestry Club Cabin, and, of course, our dedicated student athletes.  Also, a huge thank you to the alumni and friends that came out volunteers as timers and judges!" he added.

 

PSC's Mens 1 and Jack & Jill teams both placed at the top of their respective divisions with both winning by huge point margins.

 

The Jack & Jill team, comprised of three men and three women, finished the day with 1279 points, beating longtime rival SUNY ESF who finished the day in second place with 1044 points.  Jack & Jill Team Captain Ian Dynda (Port Allegany, PA) remarked, "Everyone did a great job and excelled in their singles and doubles events. Their hard work helped secure the win." 

 

Some notable event wins for the PSC Jack & Jill team were:  

The Men's 1 team finished the day with 1235 points, 98 points ahead of SUNY ESF who finished in second place with 1037 points.  The Men's 1 Team were especially strong in their team events: Sawing, Log Roll, and Pulp and Pack Board Relay.

 

"The Men's 1 team had a great day of competition.  We had great results in all of our events but we were strongest in our team events," said Men's 1 team captain Kyle Joray (Goshen, CT).  "The weather was great, wood was clear and free of knots, and the crowd was supportive on our home turf!" he added. 

 

Here are some highlights from their day:  

The Open 1 and Women's teams both finished in a respectable second place in their divisions.  The Open 1 Team finished with 1089 points, just behind SUNY Alfred with 1155 points.  The Women's team finished their day with 1197 points, being edged out by SUNY ESF who finished with 1242 points.  

Here are some additional highlights from the day:  

The 2025 Paul Smith's College woodsmen's team is one of the largest in the team's history with 45 student athletes on the roster.  They travel to SUNY ESF's competition in Tully, NY during the last weekend of October and then to the University of New Hampshire the following weekend.

 

The Paul Smith's College 2025-2026 woodsmen's team

 

You can follow the woodsmen's team on Instagram at @psc_woodsmen or you can follow the general athletics account at @smitty_nation for scores, schedules, highlights, and more!

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At Paul Smith's College, it's about the experience. As the only four-year institution of higher education located in the Adirondack Park in upstate New York, Paul Smith's provides real-world, hands-on learning in fields such as business and hospitality, culinary management, forestry, environmental sciences, and natural resources. We can draw on industries and resources available in our backyard while preparing students for successful careers anywhere. Our community of resourceful, enterprisingg, supportive, and adventurous individuals collectively provides experiential education, student support in the classroom and beyond, and meaningful opportunities for our alumni. We pride ourselves on research and advocacy on issues that improve our planet and the lives of the people who inhabit it. Learn more at www.paulsmiths.edu.