This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2016, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

Brian Soukup, the head groundskeeper for Salt Lake Bees, was awarded a 2016 Sports Turf Management presidential commendation, it was announced Friday by Pacific Coast League commissioner Branch Rickey.

Along with Kevin Asay, Ryan Heiner and the rest of the Bees' grounds crew, Soukup was honored for their work at Smith's Ballpark.

Voting for the award is conducted by the 16 field managers and PCL on-field officials. It is based on 11 different categories, ranging from the field setup for batting practice to the overall playing surface during the game.

Albuquerque Isotopes director of field operations Casey Griffin won the award for Sports Turf Manager of the Year in the PCL. Nathan Jones of the El Paso Chihuahuas also received a presidential commendation.

After concluding a series on Saturday in Las Vegas, the Bees return home Monday for the final eight games of the season, beginning Monday night against Albuquerque.