Many awards, even those individual in nature, often are viewed by their recipients as a team effort.
That was the response University of Nebraska professor Roch Gaussoin, Ph.D., had when he was named recipient of this year's USGA Green Section Award.
"It reflects a body of work by collaboration," Gaussoin said. "This isn't just me. I've worked with many amazing graduate students over the years, and I've worked with many amazing colleagues inside the university as well as outside UNL."
Since 1961, the USGA Green Section Award honors an individual's distinguished service to the game through work with turfgrass.
Gaussoin was nominated by Rutgers' Jim Murphy and Bruce Clarke, the former being Gaussoin's classmate at Michigan State when both were completing their doctorate work.
Gaussoin earned bachelor's and master's degrees at New Mexico State before moving on to MSU. He has been at Nebraska since 1991.
Gaussoin's curriculum vitae lists more than two dozen awards, including the 2013 GCSAA Col. John Morley Award, presented annually to an individual who has made an outstanding contribution to the advancement of the golf course superintendent's profession.
"This one is a little different," he said. "When I see names up there like (2022 winner) Frank Dobie and some of the others, it's pretty special to be in that group."
Much of Gaussoin's work at Nebraska has focused largely on organic matter management and providing superintendents with solutions to surface smoothness and firmness and the movement of water through the profile. He is a regular speaker at industry events and has become known for his minimalist advice on surface management that includes aerating without pulling cores.
"I think (the award) says that a small school like Nebraska, a Big 10 school, but a small Big 10 school," he said, "can generate information that has real value."
