North Salem High School alum Margaret Dente to participate in all-female Super Bowl flyover

North Salem High School alumna Margaret Dente (‘09) is headed to the Super Bowl. Dente, who grew up in the Peach Lake area of North Salem, is part of an all-female Navy crew who will participate in a historic flyover over State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona before kickoff.

This is the first time an all-women team will lead the Super Bowl flyover. Dente and her fellow pilots were chosen to commemorate 50 years of women flying in the U.S. Navy.

While an all-female flight crew is a first, flying is second nature for Dente, who comes from a long line of family members who spent their careers in the skies. Her grandfather served as a Marine helicopter pilot in Vietnam. Her father is a life-long civilian pilot, and her mother a flight attendant. Dente grew up dreaming of following in her family’s footsteps.

“Being a naval aviator is a realization of that dream,” Dente said. “Nothing compares to flying jets off an aircraft carrier. I feel so fortunate to serve this country alongside the finest, doing the job that I love, with all the amazing friends I have made along the way.”

As news broke on social media of North Salem’s special Super Bowl connection, locals shared their pride and support for Dente. Many shared memories of Dente as a child, when she was known as Peggy Bobbin. Anecdotes about trips to DermaGlow Spa & Boutique with her mom, her time in the North Salem High School musical theater department, even a remembrance from one of her former teachers at Pequenakonck Elementary School all helped to paint a picture of the local girl who has gone on to do great things.

After graduating from North Salem High School, Dente attended the University of Southern California, where she met Lyndsay Evans, who will be her co-pilot for Sunday’s flyover. The pair will be piloting an EA-18G Growler alongside two F/A-18E/F fighter jets (better known as “The Rhino”) and an F-35C Lightning II. 

The EA-18G Growler is the first newly-designed electronic warfare aircraft produced in more than 35 years. (Photo courtesy of U.S. Navy)

The EA-18G Growler is part of the F/A-18 family of aircraft. It has a sophisticated suite of electronic warfare that performs a variety of functions including communications jamming and countermeasures.

On Saturday Dente and her crew got in one final practice run during rehearsal for the Super Bowl's opening ceremonies. On Sunday, February 12, they'll execute their special mission on the biggest stage in professional sports and undoubtedly make North Salem proud.