Illini Pullers pull off victory in international student competition
The Illini Pullers from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign secured first place in the 2026 American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers (ASABE) International Quarter-Scale Tractor Student Design Competition on May 28th through 31st where teams design ¼ scale tractors throughout the year that are put to the test by a panel of industry experts at the competition.
There are seven events that contribute to a team’s score in the competition: an oral defense of design, written design report, oral design presentation, static design judging, maneuverability, durability, and lastly, tractor pulls. To score highly in each category, team cohesion is a must. The Illini Pullers went through an internal transformation led by team captain Payton Voltz, a recent graduate of mechanical science and engineering (MechSE) who is now pursuing graduate studies in the Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering (ABE).
“We placed a greater emphasis on knowledge transfer between experienced and new members and established clearer expectations and deadlines,” Voltz said.
Directly after these changes, the Illini Pullers won the Most Improved Team Award in 2024.
The team also emphasized pushing up deadlines and continually improving designs by conducting thorough design reviews and seeking feedback from experts in the field.
In the 2026 season, the club made a commitment to win, which they achieved thanks in part to co-advisors ABE Assistant Professor Cody Allen and Tim Lecher, Assistant Director of ABE Facilities, Operations and Planning, who advised the team throughout the process.
“Employers like to recruit new-hire engineers with real-world experiences, and the Illini Pullers team provides members with just that,” said Allen.
Through hands-on engineering experience, members are able to go through design challenges they would encounter in the industry, such as manufacturing complaints, testing procedures, deadlines, and budgeting.
“Illini Pullers provides an opportunity to make mistakes, learn from them, and improve your skills in a relatively low-risk environment,” Voltz said.
Networking is also emphasized within the club, with members expanding their contacts through alumni, sponsors, and others who judge, compete, and attend the competition events.
Voltz has benefited greatly from the club, developing a strong support system within a group that shares a common goal.
“Through the team, I developed friendships and professional relationships that have had a lasting impact on my college experience,” Voltz said, “The alumni and faculty network behind the team has opened doors to opportunities and experiences that I likely would not have encountered otherwise.”
24 teams from universities across the United States and Canada participated in the competition. In addition to the overall championship, the team won the Serviceability Award, the Test and Development Award, the Innovation Award, Top Written Design Report, Top Team Presentation, and 2nd place in Performance.
Illini Pullers
The Illini Pullers are a registered student organization associated with the Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. The team designs, builds, and competes with a quarter-scale tractor in national engineering competitions, providing hands-on experience in engineering design, manufacturing, project management, and teamwork. Agricultural and Biological Engineering is housed in the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences and offers shared programs with The Grainger College of Engineering.