Cyber students rank among top 1% at national competition
Tulane Cyber Wave, a competitive team comprised of undergraduate and graduate information technology students, recently placed in the top one percent during the National Cyber League (NCL) team competition. The team finished 16th out of 3,634 teams solidifying the best placement in team competition history for the Tulane School of Professional Advancement (SoPA) Information Technology program.
The NCL competition was held virtually on April 24–26, 2026 and required students to solve cybersecurity challenges across several disciplines. Students worked during a three-day period to earn points toward a final score.
Led by Team Captain Jared Lovell, the group worked to identify hackers from forensic data, detect vulnerable websites, complete penetration testing and recover from ransomware attacks.
“The experience gained from this competition is invaluable,” said Lovell. “It allows cybersecurity students to come together and compete against others from all over the US and shows us the value of teamwork.”
The team included students Trey Burch, Peter Candelora, Angie Frisk, and Kyle Joiner. Lovell applauded standout individual performances by Burch who scored the most total points and Frisk who solved the competition's most difficult technical challenge.
Demetrice Rogers, who coaches Tulane Cyber Wave, highlighted the unique hurdles that make the NCL such a rigorous benchmark for students.
“The National Cyber League doesn't just test what students know, it tests how they perform under pressure, with the clock running and an unfamiliar system and network in front of them,” said Rogers. “That's exactly the environment they'll walk into on day one of the security operations center.”
Beyond the national ranking, players receive final reports that identifies their individual strengths and grades their skill levels, which serve as valuable data for career advancement.
With the historic spring performance establishing a new benchmark for SoPA’s cybersecurity cohort, the team plans to return to the National Cyber League competition in the fall to compete in both the individual and team formats.
