Duke Cyber Celebrates National Cyber League Wins
Duke University's Cybersecurity Talent Continues to Shine Bright
In an incredible showcase of skill and dedication this fall semester, Duke Cyber's Tech Track teams have achieved remarkable success in the National Cyber League (NCL) competition. This fall, our teams demonstrated exceptional talent and resilience, once again marking Duke's strong presence in the national cybersecurity arena.
A Triumphant Journey
This fall, a Duke Cyber graduate team ("Cyber Devils") and an undergraduate team (“Dook”) competed against 521 universities nationwide, securing Duke an impressive 40th place! This achievement is particularly notable given our relatively recent entry into NCL and speaks volumes about the hard work our members put into practice and improving their skills this semester.
Individual Brilliance
In the individual game, eight of our students displayed remarkable prowess. Chern Heng Tang and Maxwell Lin soared to the top 500, earning the coveted Diamond-level badge. Close on their heels, Vaibhav Zaveri and Audrey Link achieved the Platinum Level badge, ranking within the top 1000 nationwide. Their individual excellence is a testament to the high caliber of our members and their dedication to the competition.
Team Triumphs
Our team performance was equally impressive. "Dook" and "Cyber Devils" competed fiercely among over 5000 teams. "Dook" placed in the top 10% at 538th place, while "Cyber Devils" secured in the top 2% nationally at a remarkable 91st position. These results really underscored the teamwork, strategic thinking, and technical skills of our amazing teams and coaches this semester. The Dook team consisted of Alex Mages, Audrey link, David Shenkerman, Judy Chen, Michael Scherk, and Pete Crowley. The Cyber Devils included Chern Heng Tan, Cameron Sotoodeh, Jung Baek, Omar Almulhem, and Vaibhav Zaveri.
Duke Cyber Devils Team Photo
Coach Reflection
Professor Alexis Sparko, our wonderful Tech Trach mentor, wanted to share her thoughts on this achievement with the club:
"I had a wonderful time meeting with Duke Cyber earlier this semester and watching how you all fared in the National Cyber League competition! I’m impressed by those of you who earned medals through your placement nationally (including two top-500 finishers in the individual game!). I am equally proud of those of you who earned your first points ever in a cybersecurity competition. I know it can be intimidating to get started in these types of competitions, so I hope you all enjoyed the experience, learned new skills, and will keep participating!
I want to send a huge thank you to Evan Kiffel [Cyber’s Technical Director] for inviting me to be involved in the club and for giving such careful consideration as to how to develop the technical track of Duke Cyber. I can tell that Evan will be a great asset for the team for the rest of his time at Duke, and I look forward to being even more involved with the club in the future!"
We really valued Professor Sparko’s guidance this year and are so grateful for her continued mentorship.
Looking Ahead
Recognition letters have been sent from NCL to Duke’s chair of Computer Science and the CIO, highlighting these teams’ accomplishments. As Duke Cyber continues to grow and excel, we look forward to further achievements and continued participation in national and international arenas.
Join us in congratulating our members for their exceptional performance and growth during the NCL competition! We can’t wait to see what the new year has in store with our upcoming National Cyber Collegiate Defense Competition (NCCDC).
Go Duke Cyber!