How DeVry Students Placed Top 12 in a National Cyber Security Competition

This year’s competition team was made up of 7 students who each brought their strengths in cryptography, password cracking, and forensics to the cyber security battlefield: Diane Story, Kenneth Kiracofe, Cody Kyser, Charles Lewis, Matthew McCloskey, Daniel Rios, and Seth Sikora.

Together, the team represented DeVry, applying technical knowledge, problem-solving skills, and teamwork to challenges designed to mirror real-world cyber scenarios. While each student contributed different strengths, the team's overall success was built on a shared commitment to continuous learning and improvement.

Since DeVry began participating in the NCL with just 2 students in Spring 2022, our program has grown stronger each season, with students showing steady improvement in both individual and team performance. According to faculty coach Dr. Jingdi Zeng, achievements like these are the result of consistent preparation over time. Students practice between seasons, learn from one another, and adapt as competition challenges evolve, building both the technical skills and teamwork needed to succeed at a national level.

The National Cyber League is an online competition where students practice real-world cyber security skills in a capture-the-flag format. Participants are challenged across 9 core areas of cyber security, including scanning, log analysis, digital forensics, and other technical disciplines that IT and cyber security professionals use every day.

NCL hosts 2 seasons per year, each of which lasts about 12 weeks and includes a season-long Gymnasium, a 1-week Practice Game, a 2.5-day Individual Game, and a 2.5-day Team Game. The competition attracts thousands of college students from across the country.

A Top 12 ranking is especially noteworthy because it reflects success at both the individual and team levels as our students prove they can compete with the nation’s top cyber security students. Earning a Power Rank demonstrates not only technical knowledge, but also the ability to collaborate, adapt, and perform under pressure against some of the country's top emerging cyber security talent.

Success in the NCL isn't just built during competition week. According to Dr. Zeng, our Top 12 finish was the result of months of preparation before the competition began. “Students need to practice between seasons, build trust with one another over time, and learn how to adjust as the challenges change from season to season,” she said.

At DeVry, that preparation includes about 10 faculty-led training sessions per NCL season, each focused on core cyber security domains aligned with the 9 areas of competition. Students also participate in weekly practice sessions in the Gymnasium to reinforce their skills.

And the training doesn’t stop when the season ends. Between competitions, students continue building their knowledge through our cyber range, so they can stay sharp and ready for next season. Dr. Zeng compares the process to how athletes train with consistent practice, repetition, and steady improvements that help students perform their best when competition season rolls around.

Our cyber range is an industry-grade environment where DeVry students can apply and strengthen their cyber security skills inside a realistic, hands-on workflow. It was designed to mirror situations students may encounter inside and out of the classroom, in both competition settings and professional cyber operations. “It helps them connect the dots, see the bigger picture, and develop stronger critical thinking skills,” said Dr. Zeng.

That hands-on experience is an important part of student preparation. Rather than just learning concepts and theories, students use the cyber range to actively solve challenges like forensics, in environments that replicate real cyber operations. This helps them develop critical-thinking, problem-solving, and adaptive decision-making skills that are highly valuable in both competition performance and today’s cyber security workforce.

AI tools are now allowed in the NCL competition, and our students have incorporated them into their cyber security workflow. The focus isn’t on using AI as a shortcut, but as part of a professional cyber security skill set that prepares students for the cyber workforce.

“AI, when used properly, can help students fill knowledge gaps that might otherwise slow down their learning and problem-solving process,” Dr. Zeng explained.

Combined with hands-on practice in the cyber range, AI literacy helps reinforce both technical ability and critical thinking, so students understand not just how to solve problems, but also how to approach them in a real-world setting.

The NCL competition is just one of many opportunities our students have to engage with the broader cyber security community. Through our Future Cyber Defenders Scholars Program, Women in Cybersecurity (WiCyS), the NSA CAE community, and competitions such as the NCAE Cyber Games, students can continue building their skills, exploring new interests, and connecting with others in the field.

These experiences are supported through our Cybersecurity Center of Excellence, which provides access to additional learning opportunities, competitions, and professional development resources. Students can apply what they're learning in the classroom, gain exposure to different areas of cyber security, and expand their network of peers and mentors.

According to Dr. Zeng, these opportunities provide benefits that extend beyond technical skill-building: “More importantly, they become part of a broader support system that helps them build confidence, feel empowered, and see a future for themselves in cyber security.”

That support can have a lasting impact. As students train, learn, and compete together, they build relationships with classmates, faculty mentors, and peers from other institutions that can continue long after graduation. Further supporting student success, 3 of our cyber security programs have earned NSA CAE designation, recognizing their alignment with national standards for cyber security education.

The cyber security field is constantly evolving as organizations face increasingly complex threats and emerging technologies such as AI shape how work gets done. For students, that means stronger emphasis on building practical skills, gaining hands-on experience, and developing confidence before entering the workforce.

Our Top 12 finish in the National Cyber League is one example of how that preparation comes to life. Through experiential learning opportunities, faculty coaching, access to industry-grade tools like our cyber range, and participation in a broader cyber security community, our students are able to apply what they learn in real-world contexts.

The achievement also reinforces a broader message: Our students can compete and succeed alongside peers from colleges and universities across the country. “These rankings reflect our commitment to equipping learners with real-world, workforce-ready capabilities so they can help secure and defend the digital infrastructures that power our economy, government, and communities,” said Elise Awwad, president and CEO of DeVry University.

And while the ranking is worth celebrating, the focus is ultimately about the people behind it: students committed to consistent practice and growth, faculty coaches who supported them throughout the season, and a program designed to help students gain the experience, skills, and confidence to compete at a national level. Their Top 12 finish is an impressive accomplishment — and one that reflects the hard work, dedication, and community that made it possible.