Cyber Defense Team Finishes Third in Statewide Competition

(LEBANON, Ill., February 19, 2020) — McKendree University’s 117th Regiment Cyber Defense Team earned another trophy over the weekend at the State of Illinois National Collegiate Cyber Defense Competition. In a field of seasoned teams, McKendree finished third behind DePaul University and John A. Logan College. A slim margin—fewer than 100 points of approximately 20,000 possible—separated the top three finishers.

Illinois remains the toughest state to compete in across the nation due to the number and depth of its teams, according to George Kriss, team advisor and the director of information technology at McKendree. Fewer collegiate teams competed in Illinois this year yet it fielded more than any other state competition.

Other schools represented at the competition were the Illinois Institute of Technology, College of DuPage, Moraine Valley, Illinois State University, Lewis University, Southern Illinois University Carbondale and Governors State. While many have competed for nearly a decade, McKendree’s team and its burgeoning cyber defense and cybersecurity programs have made an impressive showing in a short time, Kriss noted.

Competing for McKendree’s 117th Regiment Cyber Defense Team were Alyssa Koston, captain; Kyle Hostetter, Jakob Eddleman, Chloe Gamber, Emily Williams, Alijah Thomas and David McClurg.


Cyber Defense Team 2020

The McKendree University 117th Regiment Cyber Defense Team finished third in the State of Illinois National Collegiate Cyber Defense Competition.

 

-McK-