CSU Pueblo CyberWolves Again Howl into Top Ranking in National Cyber Security Competition
Release Date: November 25, 2024
Pueblo, COLO – CSU Pueblo CyberWolves Red team finished among the top 10 teams in the nation in the fall National Cyber League (NCL) games, out-scoring other university and college teams such as the U.S. Coast Guard, Alabama, Auburn, Baylor, University of Hawaii, Rensselaer Polytech Institute, Stanford, UCCS, and others.
NCL is one of the premier cybersecurity competitions in the United States. NCL is supported by CyberSkyline a cloud-based platform that tests student participant's skills in areas as open source intelligence, cryptography, password cracking network traffic analysis, network scanning and reconnaissance, digital forensics, and web application security.
The Red team comprises CSU Pueblo students Jeff Lange, Kevin Shu, Kieran Varela, and William Scott. This marks a continuation of CSU Pueblo’s tradition of excellence in the area of cyber security for students preparing for competitive and high-demand careers in information technology (IT) and cybersecurity.
CSU Pueblo sponsored over 65 individual NCL students and 8 NCL cyber teams for the fall 2024 NCL competition which included 24 Hispanic/Latinos and 19 Females NCL players.
Every year, over 10,000 students from more than 450 colleges & universities and over 100 high schools across the U.S. participate in NCL cyber security competitions.
Roberto Mejias, CIS professor and faculty lead for the school’s cybersecurity program at attributes the team’s success to a rigorous CIS (Computer Information System) curriculum and hands-on learning opportunities that emphasize real-world problem-solving.
Dr. Mejias said, “Our CSU Pueblo NCL players and teams were expertly coached by James Quintana, CSU Pueblo’s NSF-NCL Coach and Lab Developer, who provided specific guidance, strategy and motivation for our CSUP NCL players.”
Quintana added, “The cyber security competition is always both challenging and rewarding for the students.”
The continuing national rankings by CSU Pueblo’s cybersecurity teams underscores the CSU Pueblo’s CIS-Cyber Security program’s dedication to generating industry-ready graduates to address the current shortage of 340,000 open jobs in the U.S. and 3.5 million cyber security open positions globally.
“Our success in these rankings reflects the exceptional quality of our cybersecurity program and the dedication of our students," said CSU Pueblo President Armando Valdez. "A student coming to CSU Pueblo gets the opportunity to engage with this competition.”
About CSU Pueblo CyberWolves
CSU Pueblo is a regional comprehensive university committed to developing students’ academic and professional excellence. The CIS-Cybersecurity program, led by experienced faculty members, provides students with the education, hands-on training, and industry certifications needed to succeed as “cyber warriors” in the competitive field of cybersecurity. CSU Pueblo is a U.S. National Security Agency, Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Education.
The Cyber Security program at CSU Pueblo is designated as a U.S. National Security Agency, Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Education
