WMU female aviators soar to top 10 finish in cross-country race

Contact: Deanne Puca

July 7, 2026

The Golden Girls, WMU’s all-female aviation team that competed in the 2026 Air Race Classic, stand by a WMU airplane. — Western’s 2026 Air Race Classic team members, from left to right, are Ava Anderson, Caroline Yuska, Evelyn Passejna, Lorelai Jousma and Josey Campbell.

KALAMAZOO, Mich.—Western Michigan University’s all-female team of pilots, The Golden Girls, successfully completed all nine legs of the 2026 Air Race Classic, flying more than 2,500 miles over three days in a cross-country race designed to celebrate and support women in aviation.

Flying a Cirrus SR20 aircraft, this year’s Western team placed 10th against 22 other collegiate teams in the June competition. In the Air Race Classic, which WMU has joined 22 times since 2000, teams compete against an aircraft-specific handicap rather than head-to-head.

The race route changes annually; this year, the competition began and concluded in Illinois, with stops in Kentucky, South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Arkansas, Missouri and Wisconsin along the way.

“This has been a life-changing experience, getting to know the team and supporting one another throughout this year through so many personal and training milestones and having also learned countless real life skills during fundraising and representation of the team,” says junior Evelyn Passejna of Grand Haven, Michigan. The first-time Air Race Classic competitor, who is studying aviation flight science and aviation technical operations, was responsible for navigation and fundraising.

“The experience is about more than just the competition; it is also an opportunity to build valuable skills,” adds ground coordinator Lorelai Jousma, an aviation flight sciences junior from Wayland, Michigan.

Rounding out the team are co-pilot and spring 2026 graduate Josey Campbell of Alma, Michigan; co-pilot and fall 2025 graduate Caroline Yuska of Carmel, Indiana; and aviation flight sciences sophomore Ava Anderson of Ovid, Michigan, who is responsible for the team’s social media. Co-advisors are Dominic Nicolai, WMU lead flight instructor, and Annie Quardokus, B.S.’16, an alumna who works as a flight specialist for Bissell in Grand Rapids.

“This year’s team was great to work with and fun to be around,” says Nicolai. “Most of the team members are new to the team but are really talented and worked so well with our team pilot Josey and our returning four-year race veteran, Caroline. I hope they will continue with the team again in the fall.”

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