RSU student Eunice Murillo (right) is congratulated by Hawken Grubbs, instructor of technology and justice studies, for her outstanding achievements along with her teammates in the National Cyber League Competition.
Rogers State University’s cybersecurity teams finished strong this season, showcasing their excellence on a national stage at the Spring 2025 National Cyber League Competition.
Held April 25-27, the National Cyber League (NCL) competition presents students with practical cybersecurity challenges likely to be encountered in the workforce, such as identifying hackers from forensic data, penetration testing and auditing vulnerable websites, recovering from ransomware attacks, and more.
Out of 4,779 teams from across the country, RSU’s A Team, featuring Alyssa Allen, Sarah Karamitis, Sayre Bennett, Colt Grubbs, Bailey Kleeman, and Journee Spencer secured an impressive 101st place finish, placing them in the top 2 percent of all teams nationally.
RSU’s B and C Teams, composed of Nghi Nguyen, My Le, Khai Nguyen, Courtney Townsend, Ryder Stockholm, Reece Dodson, Eunice Murillo, Connor Dilks, Marcus Fortkamp, and Brock Green, also delivered outstanding performances, finishing in the top 3% and top 6% of teams, respectively.
RSU Technology and Justice Studies Department Head and Assistant Professor Dr. R. Curtis Sparling commended the teams for their outstanding high performance.
“Our students continue to compete head-to-head with top-tier R1 institutions and consistently rise to the challenge,” Sparling said. “Their results speak to the strength of our program and their dedication to developing real-world cybersecurity skills.
“The success of RSU’s cybersecurity teams reflects the university’s ongoing commitment to excellence in STEM education and career readiness in high-demand fields,” he added.
The NCL is an inclusive, performance-based, learning centered collegiate cybersecurity competition. NCL is open to high school and college students and is a community and virtual training ground which allows students to develop their technical cybersecurity skills, helping bridge the gap from curriculum to career.
NCL is a biannual, virtual competition that challenges students with practical, hands-on cybersecurity scenarios. Designed to bridge the gap between academic learning and the demands of the workforce, NCL events focus on critical skill areas, including:
- Open-Source Intelligence (OSINT) – Leveraging public resources to collect valuable data
- Cryptography – Decoding encrypted messages using analytical techniques
- Password Cracking – Applying strategies to identify and reverse-engineer password hashes
- Log Analysis – Interpreting system logs to detect signs of compromise
- Network Traffic Analysis – Distinguishing legitimate from malicious traffic patterns
- Digital Forensics – Recovering and investigating digital evidence from cyber incidents
- Scanning and Reconnaissance – Identifying services and vulnerabilities on target systems
- Web Application Exploitation – Exploiting web-based vulnerabilities to bypass protections
- Enumeration and Exploitation – Discovering and utilizing vulnerabilities in software and binaries
Rogers State University offers a Bachelor of Technology in applied technology – cybersecurity degree, which includes expertly designed cybersecurity courses, cutting-edge resources and career preparation in the high-demand field of cybersecurity.
RSU recently launched a new Master of Science in Cybersecurity Policy, Governance and Training, equipping students with both technical expertise and strategic leadership skills to excel as an information or cybersecurity professional.
Learn more about degree options in the Department of Technology and Justice Studies.