“This competition reminded us that we are more capable than we often give ourselves credit for,” said Marc DiPiano.
Shippensburg University’s Baja SAE team recently competed in the 2025 Baja SAE competition, held in Maryland, where they raced on one of the most challenging courses they have faced to date. The team worked hard to redesign a buggy capable of taking on steep terrain and various hurdles throughout the course.
“This year’s track was a lot more difficult than the track in Michigan’s competition last year,” said Dr. Joao Dias, associate professor of mechanical engineering and faculty advisor for the Ship Baja team. “The steeper and longer hill climb sections pushed our vehicle’s drivetrain beyond its limits. Those challenges are beneficial for the growth of the team over time.”
Despite the challenges that the team faced, they still managed to successfully pass all the required technical inspections, including the engine check, four-wheel drive test, brake test and comprehensive safety inspection.
“Our vehicle passed all the rigorous tests required by the competition judges… which demonstrates consistent progress of the team,” Dias said. “Unfortunately, we were not able to complete the 4-hour endurance race due to issues with the vehicle drivetrain, but the team has been analyzing the data … to identify the root cause.”
Roll Cage Team Leader, Dan Diehl, shared some other challenges the team faced during the competition.
“We were overly ambitious this year when it came to shrinking the overall dimensions of the buggy,” Diehl explained. “During the frame inspection, the technical inspectors discovered that the drivers’ knees were too close to the outside of the vehicle. The issue was that we needed to bend the tube to get the frame to pass and we didn’t have the tools necessary to do so. Luckily, students at the Rochester Institute of Technology lent a helping hand and some equipment so we could fix the cage in time.”
Diehl emphasized the importance of planning ahead of time. “This last competition really hammered home the lesson of proper planning… going forward, we have already set new plans and procedures in place to ensure we give ourselves enough time.”
While the endurance event had its obstacles, the technical adjustments of the buggy helped the team perform. Marc DiPiano, the manufacturing director/drivetrain team leader, also shared his observations. “We managed to significantly cut weight by 54% in our roll cage and our top speed doubled compared to last year. These improvements were the result of better design practices, smarter material choices and tighter manufacturing tolerances.”
Both Diehl and DiPiano agreed that the team still has room to grow, although with improvements to major areas such as the frame and steering, and plans to improve the drivetrain efficiency and suspension, they are bound to continue to see some wins in the future.
For Dias, this competition represents the importance of educating engineers in the making. “One of the primary education goals of the Baja SAE competition series is to teach engineering students how to learn from their mistakes… I believe the Ship Baja SAE team learned valuable lessons from the experience.”
The team’s success would not have been possible without the efforts of each of the members. DiPiano gave praise to several of his teammates. “Dalton Moser put in countless hours to ensure the new roll cage came together. As the team’s primary welder, he consistently went above and beyond expectations. Dan Diehl went above and beyond to support the team through every phase. Mette Madsen has been one of the hardest-working members of the team. She shows up consistently, takes initiative and never backs down from a challenge.”
Diehl added that the team spent about 12 hours every Sunday working tirelessly on the buggy after the semester ended. Both DiPiano and Diehl expressed gratitude for Professor Dias and Tom Nagy, the team’s engineering technician.
Ship’s Baja SAE continues to stay dedicated to crafting the best buggy and finding ways to improve their performance in the next competition. This past competition in Maryland represents what Ship and its engineering program are all about – celebrating success, while always looking for ways to improve.
