RSU cybersecurity students rank top 2% nationally in NCL Contest

Rogers State University cybersecurity students are making a national name for themselves after standout performances in the Spring 2025 National Cyber League (NCL) competition, held April 25–27.

RSU’s A Team finished 101st out of 4,779 teams nationwide — placing them in the top 2% in the country. Team members included Alyssa Allen, Sarah Karamitis, Sayre Bennett, Colt Grubbs, Bailey Kleeman, and Journee Spencer.

Two additional RSU teams also performed exceptionally well:

1. B Team finished in the top 3%
2. C Team landed in the top 6%

Participants were challenged with realistic cybersecurity scenarios such as tracing hackers through forensic data, decrypting files, conducting penetration tests, and recovering from ransomware attacks.

“Our students continue to compete head-to-head with top-tier R1 institutions and consistently rise to the challenge,” said Dr. R. Curtis Sparling, head of RSU’s Department of Technology and Justice Studies. “Their results speak to the strength of our program and their dedication to developing real-world cybersecurity skills.”

Hands-on learning, real-world results

The National Cyber League is a biannual virtual competition open to high school and college students. Designed to bridge classroom learning with workforce readiness, it focuses on high-demand skill areas such as:

1. Open-source intelligence
2. Cryptography
3. Password cracking
4. Log and traffic analysis
5. Digital forensics
6. Web application and network exploitation

NCL is known for its emphasis on practical, hands-on experience — a mission RSU’s cybersecurity program aligns closely with.

Cybersecurity education at RSU

RSU offers a Bachelor of Technology in Applied Technology – Cybersecurity and recently launched a Master of Science in Cybersecurity Policy, Governance and Training. The new graduate program blends technical expertise with leadership development to prepare students for careers in cybersecurity policy and operations.

For more on RSU’s cybersecurity degree options, visit www.rsu.edu/tjs.