(Above) SIU Carbondale senior Grant Gillespie tied for second in the 2025 National Intercollegiate Flying Association championships. Gillespie, along with Jake Mack and Ben Campbell (below), each won individual event championships. The Flying Salukis finished third as a team. (Photos provided)
May 21, 2025
SIU Flying Salukis continue legacy with third-place finish
CARBONDALE, Ill. — Earning titles in three individual events and battling challenging weather, Southern Illinois University Carbondale’s Flying Salukis continued the tradition of national success with a third-place finish at the National Intercollegiate Flying Association (NIFA) championships on May 17.
“Our team’s performance was outstanding,” said Coach Nathan J. Lincoln, a senior lecturer in aviation management and flight in the School of Aviation. “One of the most rewarding parts of coaching is seeing team members come together to support each other while also pushing themselves to perform at their highest level — and that’s exactly what they did.”
Flying Salukis Grant Gillespie (tied for second), Jake Mack (ninth) and Ben Campbell (tied for 15th) led SIU, which had nine of 18 team members score in the May 12-16 competition at Wittman Regional Airport in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Prescott won the title, followed by University of North Dakota and SIU Carbondale. Thirty teams competed.
The finish marks the 16th straight year that the nine-time national champions have finished in the top five in the country and 13th time in 14 years SIU has been in the top three overall. Complete results are available on the NIFA website.
Strong team effort
Gillespie, a senior in aviation technologies from Fort Worth, Texas, closed out his competitive Flying Saluki career by winning the ground trainer competition, finishing second in aircraft preflight inspection and placing in three other scoring events. Campbell, a senior in aviation management and aviation flight from Richmond, Illinois, captured aircraft preflight inspection, and with Gillespie, was fifth in traditional navigation. Mack, a senior in aviation technologies and aviation flight from Lake Zurich, Illinois, won the short field landing event and placed fourth in computer accuracy.
“I’m proud of the entire team and how they performed throughout the week — every member contributed to our success,” Lincoln said, noting the individual performances by Gillespie, Campbell and Mack.
“Winning an event at nationals is no small feat, especially when you're competing against 60 to 150 of the top competitors in the country,” he said. “Their accomplishments are a testament to their preparation, focus and determination.”
Other Flying Salukis who scored points were:
- Liam Harrison, junior, aviation management and aviation flight, Libertyville, Illinois, 36 points, 30th place.
- Mateo Torres, senior, aviation technologies, Park Ridge, Illinois, 22.5 points, 52nd place.
- Thomas Nguyen, senior, aviation management and aviation flight, Broomfield, Colorado, 11 points, 93rd place.
- Vassilios Georges, graduate master’s, aviation management, Chesterfield, Missouri, 10.5 points, 97th place.
- Thomas Van Dorpe, senior, aviation management, Charles, Illinois, 9 points, tied for 100th place.
- Kyra Hilsabeck, junior, aviation management and aviation flight, Edelson, Illinois, 6 points, 121st place.
Other Flying Salukis in the competition were:
- Adriana Alvarez, junior, aviation flight and aviation management,
- Luke Barry, junior, aviation technologies and aviation flight, Benton, Illinois.
- Gabriel Booth, freshman, aviation management and aviation flight, Murphysboro, Illinois.
- Michael Chebuske, senior, aviation management and aviation flight, Louis, Missouri.
- James Cone, junior, aviation management and aviation flight, Byron, Illinois.
- Jeremy Murray, senior, aviation management and aviation flight, Lockport, Illinois.
- Ryder Schwoerer, sophomore, aviation management and aviation flight, Monticello, Illinois.
- Alana Stahl, senior, aviation management and flight, Sandwich, Illinois.
- Luke Trout, aviation management and aviation flight, Holland, Indiana.
Continuing the level of success
For Lincoln, keeping the Flying Salukis in the national picture in collegiate aviation continues to be a focus. The team’s legacy of success is built on nine national titles, 13 straight Region VIII titles and 55 NIFA championship appearances.
“Most people don’t realize just how difficult it is to consistently place in the top three at a national competition with nearly 30 highly competitive teams,” said Lincoln, a member of the 1997 and 1998 teams. “Maintaining that level of success year after year is a true testament to the strength of our flight program and the exceptional talent of our students.”
Lincoln said he is “incredibly fortunate to work with such driven and skilled aviators.”
“Each competitor understands the legacy they’re representing, and they take great pride in carrying forward the tradition of excellence that defines the SIU Flying Salukis,” he said.
Looking ahead
Lincoln is looking ahead to next year’s team. Tryouts and team selections will be early next fall ahead of the Region VIII competition. Gillespie will not return; he’s completed his maximum four years of eligibility.
“Grant has been an integral part of this team, and I couldn’t be prouder of his contributions both in performance and leadership,” Lincoln said. “It’s fitting that he wrapped up his time with such a strong showing.”
Lincoln said he’s “excited about the returning team members and the new talent coming in.”
“We will continue building on the momentum from this year and are focused on preparing for another strong showing at regionals and beyond,” he said.
Assistant coaches are pivotal
Lincoln noted the work of assistant coaches Mike LeFevre, Dale Miller and Matteus Thompson as “a fundamental part of our continued success.”
“They work seamlessly together to develop the team’s skills and prepare our competitors at the highest level,” he said. “Their dedication, insight, and teamwork play a huge role in the results we’ve been able to achieve.”
