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BYU wins 2021 Regional Collegiate Cyber Defense Competition

  • Jennifer Forker
  • March 29, 2021

Two-day event hosted by Regis University simulated business scenario cyberattack

 

Eight teams vied for the coveted top spot at the Rocky Mountain Collegiate Cyber Defense Competition (RMCCDC) hosted by Regis University and sponsored by Raytheon Intelligence & Space, a Raytheon Technologies business, during the weekend, but only one team — top-performing Brigham Young University (BYU) of Provo, Utah — will represent the Rocky Mountain region at the national event in April.

The University of Colorado Boulder finished second and Regis University placed third in the two-day event, the 11th year for both the competition and the University’s hosting. It was the first year the competition was held online.

"Our students came together as an impressively well-organized team, despite being distributed across three physical locations this year, to respond effectively to extremely taxing, rapid-fire technical and business challenges,” said Regis Assistant Coach Stephen Kirkman, Ph.D., program director of the Bachelor of Science in Cybersecurity in Regis’ Anderson College of Business and Computing.

The competition allowed teams to test their cybersecurity skills, knowledge and abilities. 

"We are proud to have BYU represent the Rocky Mountain Region in the national championship,” said Bob Bowles, director of Regis’ Center for Information Assurance Studies and an RMCCDC organizer. “They deserve to be here because they have proven to be the best in the West, and they will represent our region well."

A unique aspect of RMCCDC is its focus on how well individual teams work together while being pushed to their limits, Bowles said. Each year, the competition focuses on a unique scenario. This year, teams also had to set up their own servers before they could proceed.

“Congratulations to BYU and all of the teams who competed in this year’s regional event,” said Brett Scarborough, director of business development and cyber strategies at Raytheon Intelligence & Space. “Competitions such as RMCCDC give our rising cyber professionals real-world experience before they ever enter the workforce, a necessary prerequisite to help fill the cyber talent gap that the U.S. faces.”

About Regis University

Established in 1877, Regis University is a premier, globally engaged institution of higher learning in the Jesuit tradition that prepares leaders to live productive lives of faith, meaning and service. Regis University, one of 27 Jesuit universities in the nation, has three campus locations in the Denver metro area and extensive online program offerings with more than 8,000 enrolled students. For more information, visit www.regis.edu.

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