The University of Central Florida captures the Alamo Cup at UTSA’s National Collegiate Cyber Defense Competition

The winners of the 2016 National Collegiate Cyber Defense Competition with the Alamo Cup.

(April 25, 2016) -- A team of bright young cybersecurity students from the University of Central Florida (UCF) won the Alamo Cup at the 2016 National Collegiate Cyber Defense Competition (NCCDC), the nation’s largest cybersecurity competition for college students. Brigham Young University and DePaul University placed second and third, respectively, at the competition’s finals, held April 22-24 at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center in San Antonio.

UCF’s team advanced from one of 10 regional competitions to compete against groups of other cybersecurity students. Competitors were tasked with running and protecting a small business network designed by UTSA personnel, while facing simulated attacks.

Roughly half of each team’s score was based on the team’s ability to keep critical network services up and running. The other half was based on each team's ability to support and respond to business tasks.

Throughout the competition, a team of industry professionals attacked each competitor’s network, hoping to disrupt their businesses and steal sensitive data.

Seven other teams competed in this weekend’s national competition including Dakota State University, University of Alaska at Anchorage, University of Tulsa, Northeastern University, Columbia Basin College, Cal Poly Pomona and Liberty University.

The NCCDC was founded in 2005 by the UTSA Center for Infrastructure Assurance and Security (CIAS), with the mission of developing a pipeline for talented college students interested in pursuing cybersecurity careers. The event has been so successful at developing promising opportunities for students that the CIAS now has an important rule: Job offers must wait until the competition is over.

By Joanna Carver
Public Affairs Specialist

----------------------------

Learn more about The National Collegiate Cyber Defense Competition.

Learn more about the UTSA Center for Infrastructure Assurance and Security.

Learn more about cybersecurity at UTSA.

Connect online at Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram and UTSA Today.

Events

Friday, May 3, 11:30 a.m.

McNair Scholars' Spring Celebration

This event will acknowledge graduating seniors from the McNair Scholars program at UTSA before inducting the new cohort of scholars into the program.

North Paseo Building (NPB 5.140), Main Campus

Wednesday, May 15, 6:00 p.m.

Doctoral Conferral Ceremony

At this memorable celebration, UTSA graduates will be introduced one-by-one to cross the stage and accept their doctoral degrees.

Arts Building Recital Hall, Main Campus

Thursday, May 16, 3:00 p.m.

Roadrunner Walk

Roadrunner Walk is an event for graduating students to have a memorable walk on campus to celebrate an important milestone and their achievements. Graduates will walk along the Paseo while being celebrated by the UTSA community, friends, and family members.

Student Union Paseo, Main Campus

Friday, May 17, 10:00 a.m.

Commencement: Ceremony One

Celebrate the accomplishments of College of Education and Human Development, College for Health, Community and Policy, College of Sciences and University College.

Alamodome, 100 Montana St.

Friday, May 17, 4:30 p.m.

Commencement: Ceremony Two

Celebrate the accomplishments of Alvarez College of Business, College of Liberal and Fine Arts and Klesse College of Engineering and Integrated Design.

Alamodome, 100 Montana St.

Submit an Event

Spotlight

UTSA’s Mission

The University of Texas at San Antonio is dedicated to the advancement of knowledge through research and discovery, teaching and learning, community engagement and public service. As an institution of access and excellence, UTSA embraces multicultural traditions and serves as a center for intellectual and creative resources as well as a catalyst for socioeconomic development and the commercialization of intellectual property - for Texas, the nation and the world.

UTSA’s Vision

To be a premier public research university, providing access to educational excellence and preparing citizen leaders for the global environment.

UTSA’s Core Values

We encourage an environment of dialogue and discovery, where integrity, excellence, inclusiveness, respect, collaboration and innovation are fostered.

UTSA’S Destinations

UTSA is a proud Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) as designated by the U.S. Department of Education .

Our Commitment to Inclusivity

The University of Texas at San Antonio, a Hispanic Serving Institution situated in a global city that has been a crossroads of peoples and cultures for centuries, values diversity and inclusion in all aspects of university life. As an institution expressly founded to advance the education of Mexican Americans and other underserved communities, our university is committed to promoting access for all. UTSA, a premier public research university, fosters academic excellence through a community of dialogue, discovery and innovation that embraces the uniqueness of each voice.