WMU’s Sky Broncos crowned regional champions for 4th consecutive year
KALAMAZOO, Mich.—Western Michigan University’s precision flight team has won the National Intercollegiate Flying Association’s 2025 Region III SAFECON Championship for the fourth consecutive year. In addition to placing first overall, the WMU College of Aviation’s 15-member Sky Broncos team placed first in ground events and second in flight events at the regional competition Oct. 19-25 at Kent State University. With those results, the Sky Broncos will advance to the national SAFECON 2026 contest May 18-23 at Quad Cities International Airport in Moline, Illinois.
WMU competed against teams from Bowling Green State University, Kent State and The Ohio State University to earn points for members who finished in the top 10 in a series of flight and ground events. Leading the charge was Dylan Van Holton, who earned the title of top pilot, an honor the Sky Broncos haven’t lost since 2016.
“This year’s team has worked very hard over the short season leading up to the regional competition,” says Coach Nick Olnhausen. “Our biggest challenge this year was the amount of turnover from last year’s team. There were many team members who stepped up into new roles while bringing new members up to speed in their events. It was awesome to see everyone working together to elevate the team as a whole.”
Below are the 2025-26 Sky Broncos team members and their top 10 finishes at the 2025 contest.
- Jett Boettcher, a sophomore from Mequon, Wisconsin, placed 10th in aircraft recognition.
- Andrew Callaghan, a sophomore from Kentwood, was the ninth top pilot and placed second in short field landing and eighth as pilot in message drop.
- Sean Edelman, a senior from Ann Arbor, placed second in simulated comprehensive aircraft navigation.
- Lucas Foster, a senior from Cornelius, North Carolina, placed second in computer accuracy.
- Nancy Hohlbein, a junior from Petoskey, placed second as safety observer in unlimited navigation, third in computer accuracy and sixth in aircraft preflight inspection.
- Gerald Lucas, a senior from Lake Villa, Illinois, placed fourth in aircraft preflight inspection, fifth in simulated comprehensive aircraft navigation and sixth as dropmaster in message drop.
- Andrew Maciejewski, a junior from Hudsonville, was the 10th top scoring contestant and placed first in computer accuracy, first as safety observer in unlimited navigation, sixth as pilot in message drop, seventh in power-off landing and 10th (tied) in short field landing.
- Nathan Merrill, a senior from Lincoln University, Pennsylvania, was voted Western’s outstanding team member, and he placed second in aircraft recognition, third as safety observer in unlimited navigation and eighth as dropmaster in message drop.
- Naman Mody, a senior from Bensalem, Pennsylvania, was the fourth top pilot and the fifth top scoring contestant. He placed second as pilot in unlimited navigation, fourth in simulated comprehensive aircraft navigation, fifth in aircraft preflight inspection, fifth in aviation maintenance and fifth as dropmaster in message drop.
- Sebastian Osburn, a senior from Galesburg, placed eighth in aircraft recognition.
- Nicklas Pederson, a sophomore from Zeeland, placed sixth in aviation maintenance and seventh in aircraft recognition.
- Rachel Renshaw is a first-year student from Durand, Michigan.
- Seth Shapiro, a first-year student from Highland Park, New Jersey, placed fourth in computer accuracy.
- Daniel Souppa, a senior from Jacksonville, Florida, was the sixth top pilot and was part of a three-way tie for seventh top scoring contestant. He placed first in simulated comprehensive aircraft navigation, third as pilot in unlimited navigation, fifth as pilot in message drop, eighth in ground trainer and 10th (tied) in short field landing.
- Dylan Van Holton, a junior from Lancaster, California, was named top pilot and was the top scoring contestant. He placed first as pilot in unlimited navigation, second in power-off landing, third in simulated comprehensive aircraft navigation and fifth in short field landing.
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