A Missouri S&T mine rescue team practicing.

The mine rescue team from Missouri University of Science and Technology earned second place in the novice division of a national simulated mine emergency competition. The novice category is for teams competing at a national event for the first time. The team also earned fifth place in the first aid division.

Thirty-nine professional teams and one other university team competed in the 2014 National Metal and Nonmetal Mine Rescue Contest Aug. 4-7 in Lexington, Kentucky.

The contest, which is designed to test the teams’ rescue skills during a simulated mine disaster, included four events: field contest, technician team, first aid and team trainer test. Each event included a written examination. Missouri S&T’s gold team earned 19th overall at the competition.

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) judged the competition and determined the winners. MSHA also provided the competition’s field, written and technical problems for the event.

The following are members of Missouri S&T’s gold team:

Katie Sewester, team captain and a senior in mining engineering from Viola, Kansas

Robert Florich, a senior in economics and mining engineering from St. Louis

Dana Resmini, a senior in mining engineering from Rochester, Massachusetts

Eric Wesel, a senior in mining engineering from Marietta, Ohio

T Galbraith, a senior in mining engineering from Steelville, Missouri

Jordan Verslues, a senior in mining engineering from Rocheport, Missouri

Daykin Schnell, a senior in mining engineering from Lincoln, Nebraska

Emma Wilhite, a sophomore in mining engineering from Santa Claus, Indiana

Elizabeth Shuman, a freshman in mining engineering from St. Louis.