With temperatures hovering around freezing all day and snow falling in the morning, 74 of 300 pumpkins survived the 11-story drop from the top of West Virginia University’s Engineering Sciences Building in the College of Engineering and Mineral Resources’ 26th annual Pumpkin Drop. Team 79 from Suncrest Middle School had the best result, landing just four inches from the center, the closest result on record.

“The Pumpkinators” were made up of Nicholas Stout, Brevin Morris, Raimah Hossain and Josh Constantine. The team took home the $100 first prize.

Second place was claimed by team 223, from Morgantown High School, landing 11 inches from the mark. Alex Stanesco and Cryus Shahnan walked away with $50 for the runner-up spot.

In third place was team 72, from Suncrest Middle School. “P Dizzle” was made up of Finnegan Thornton, Maxwell Kemp-Rye, and Hazen Powell and won $25.

The competition, which aims to teach engineering concepts by designing an enclosure to protect the pumpkin from damage when dropped from the roof of the building, saw teams from West Virginia and Pennsylvania.

The event was sponsored by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers chapter at WVU. Proceeds benefit the Ronald McDonald House in Morgantown.

-WVU-

wbk/10/25/13

CONTACT: Mary C. Dillon, College of Engineering and Mineral Resources
304.293.4086, Mary.Dillon@mail.wvu.edu

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