From shop to track: Bobcat Baja takes on SAE Baja
Engines roared and mud flew last fall as student engineers on the Bobcat Baja team put the buggy they designed and built to the test.
Jack Rohrer | February 2, 2026
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From concept to execution, Ohio University’s Bobcat Baja SAE team, a student engineering organization, put their skills to work in October at the Baja SAE (formerly Society of Automotive Engineers) competition in Gray Court, South Carolina. Competing with programs from U.S. schools like Cornell University and the University of Michigan and international teams from Canada and Brazil, Bobcat Baja placed 28th overall, out of 66 competing teams.
The teams were tasked with engineering a miniature off-road buggy to compete in trials of endurance, speed, mobility and overall design.
Bobcat Baja has entered the competition three times and made it to the competition twice now. Cameron McCord, a third-year mechanical engineering major and the current Bobcat Baja president, explained that the vehicle inspection process is its own stringent challenge.
More than 20 members participated in the competition, and the team continues to grow. They currently have over 50 active members.
“At the start of the competition, you have to pass certain safety checks on the engine, throttle, brakes and other components before your buggy can actually compete,” McCord said. “Out of the 100 teams that registered, only 66 passed inspections. We were really proud of that because we had only been to two competitions and competed in one prior.”
Bobcat Baja is advised by Cody Petitt, associate professor of instruction and co-director of the Robe Leadership Institute, and Thomas “Joey” Boyle, a university technician who manages two engineering department shops.
Bobcat Baja members working on Boyler, the team's buggy for the competition.
Boyler, named after their advisor Thomas “Joey” Boyle, is a 700-pound single-seater buggy with full suspension and a complete roll cage, designed by the Bobcat Baja team.
Among the competition’s events was a four-hour, head-to-head endurance race that pitted all 66 buggies against each other. McCord noted the fast-paced nature of the competition but emphasized that participants are there to have fun through experiential learning. He described how the competing teams are still willing to help each other.
“Considering it’s an endurance race, there are a lot of buggies breaking down and pit crews running around replacing parts,” McCord said. “At one point our water stopped working, so we coordinated with another team that helped us out. You’re competing against all these other schools, but you know, we’re all there for the love of it.”
Bobcat Baja is currently working on their next vehicle in preparation for the SAE Baja competition in Nashport, Ohio in September 2026. McCord says new members are always welcome; meetings are Tuesdays from 5-6 p.m. in ARC (Academic & Research Center) 221.
