Carbondale: SIU Flying Salukis Capture 10th National Aviation Championship, First Since 2015

Southern Illinois University's Flying Salukis aviation team won its 10th national championship Saturday at the National Intercollegiate Flying Association competition in Moline, Illinois. The title ends an 11-year drought for the Carbondale program. The team had not won since back-to-back championships in 2014 and 2015.

The Flying Salukis finished with 484 points, beating the University of North Dakota by 57 points. Embry Riddle Aeronautical University placed third. Thirty-two teams competed at Quad Cities International Airport.

Three Students Win Individual National Titles

Three SIU students captured individual national championships at the event.

"Winning a nationals competition is an incredible feeling and something this team absolutely earned," Coach Nathan J. Lincoln, a senior lecturer in aviation management and flight in the School of Aviation, said. "This win is extremely special, but reaching a 10th title adds another layer because it speaks to the history and tradition of the Flying Salukis."

The individual champions were:

• Ben Campbell, aviation flight and aviation management major from Richmond, Illinois, won the aircraft preflight event
• Thomas Van Dorpe and Vassilios Georges won the message drop event, with Van Dorpe as dropmaster and Georges as pilot
• Kroosh Patel, aviation technologies and aviation flight major from Lawrenceville, New Jersey, won the ground trainer competition

Thomas Nguyen, an aviation management and flight major from Broomfield, Colorado, placed third in the top pilot award and finished sixth in the nation with 84 points. Nguyen competed in four events.

Twelve team members scored points in the competition. Six SIU competitors placed within the top 21 overall. The team also won the flight events title and finished third in ground events.

A Record of Consistency

The Flying Salukis have posted 17 consecutive top-five finishes at the national level. The program placed in the top three nationally in 14 of the last 15 years, according to SIU.

"What stood out most was their work ethic and willingness to help each other out at all times to make our team better," Lincoln said. "We had strong individual performances, but this is truly a team effort. They prepared extremely hard, handled adversity well and stayed focused on improving every week."

Lincoln, who competed on the Flying Salukis team himself in 1997 and 1998, is finishing his 18th season as head coach. This marks his third national championship as a coach, following titles in 2011 and 2014.

Chancellor Praises Aviation Program

Chancellor Austin A. Lane highlighted the achievement as a reflection of the university's broader commitment to aviation excellence.

"Earning a 10th national championship is an extraordinary achievement and a powerful reflection of the excellence that defines SIU," Lane said. "The Flying Salukis have built a tradition of success through talent, dedication and a commitment to supporting one another, and this team has continued that legacy in remarkable fashion."

SIU has won national aviation titles in 1977, 1978, 1979, 1981, 1982, 1984, 2011, 2014, 2015, and now 2026.

Public Reception Planned

SIU will hold a public reception to honor the 2026 national champion Flying Salukis from 2:30 to 4 p.m. on Tuesday, June 2, in the David A. Newmyer Lobby in the Glenn Poshard Transportation Education Center at 545 N. Airport Road in Murphysboro. Chancellor Lane will give remarks, and team members will be available for interviews.

Lincoln said the program will lose seven current team members this year, including Campbell, Nguyen, and Patel. Tryouts and team selections for the next season will take place early next fall ahead of Region VIII competitions.