CANTON -- SUNY Canton’s student chapter of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) has placed eighth in the nation with an economical and efficient steel bridge.

The team was one of 47 to participate in the ASCE and American Institute of Steel Construction National Steel Bridge Championships, held over Memorial Day Weekend at Clemson University, Clemson, S.C. Their top-ten position followed a first place victory at the ASCE Regional Championships hosted earlier at SUNY Canton.

“The team members worked very hard to make sure all of the details were right and put in the extraordinary practice time necessary to compete in this level,” said Robert R. Blickwedehl, one of the three faculty advisors for the Steel Bridge Team. “Our team is in the top 20 percent of the competing universities, including some of the most famous, prestigious and expensive engineering schools in the nation.”

The team took third place in construction speed with a 6.70 minute overall assembly time. The students took 11th place in the lightness category, and 13th in display.

The SUNY Canton steel bridge team has won the regional championships 12 times in 16 years and took a national title in 2009.

For the competition, students oversee all aspects of the fabrication, assembly and testing of their one-tenth scale model bridge to maximize performance and economy, as a way to apply their comprehensive engineering aptitude.

The team included William W. Corbine of Potsdam and Daniel R. Jones of Canton.

The team is advised and supported by Dennis E. Tuper, an instructional support associate in the college’s automotive technology program.