From left, math majors Pete Schallot, T.J. Deems and Josh Harpst have put Slippery Rock University on the national map by earning a meritorious ranking in the international Mathematical Contest on Modeling.

SLIPPERY ROCK — A three-student team from Slippery Rock University has received a meritorious ranking in the international Mathematical Contest on Modeling.

SRU had the only team in the state to achieve a meritorious ranking, along with national powerhouses such as Columbia, Cornell and the University of California at Berkeley.

Only 11 universities received a higher ranking of 734 competing teams.

SRU's team was composed of math majors T.J. Deems of Ellwood City, Pete Schallot of Slippery Rock and Josh Harpst of Girard. They developed an optimal strategy for irrigating an 80- by 30-meter field with sprinklers.

The online competition required students to work in teams of three and choose from among two problems. The competition took place in February, drawing teams from 10 countries. The results were released this week.