Tiffin University Students Place in Top 7% in National Cybersecurity Competition

Six undergraduate students from the Tiffin University Hacking Club competed in the Fall 2024 National Cyber League (NCL) Competition, hosted biannually and open to teams nationwide. Of the 4,894 participating teams, TU's ranked 346, placing them in the top seven percent of the country.

The competing students were Danielle Davis, Ben Plain, Frankie McDonald, Libby Huston, Vivian Rayborn and Yasir Alwatyan. The tournament consisted of both individual and team games designed to mock real-world scenarios. Examples include identifying an attacker's username, performing diagnostic and analysis work and testing the strength of a faux company's defense measures. Points accrued during these exercises are then averaged to determine a team's overall score.

"I am extremely proud of this group of students," said Andrew Groman, Instructor of Cybersecurity and Hacking Club Faculty Mentor. "They performed exceptionally well, especially considering that this was the first time our team has competed in a few years. They were also competing against veteran teams with multiple years of competition experience. I am especially pleased that we were able to hold our own against schools of varying calibers and resources, including Division 1 and Ivy League institutions. Thanks are extended to the Tiffin University Center for Cyber Defense and Forensics. The team is an initiative of and housed within the Center, and we greatly appreciate the support."

"I am very proud of Danielle, Ben, Frankie, Libby, Vivian and Yasir for their hard work and for linking their knowledge to professional practice," said Dr. Mark Sabo, Dean of the School of Science, Technology and Health. "Tiffin University is extremely fortunate to have faculty like Professor Groman who engages our students in hands-on, minds-on educational opportunities outside the classroom."

For more information about the Tiffin University Center for Cyber Defense and Forensics, visit tiffin.edu/academics/cyber-defense-forensics.