Okaloosa Technical College (OTC) has achieved an impressive ranking in the 2024 National Cyber League (NCL) Cyber Power Ranking, placing 55th in the nation.
- The NCL Competition, which concluded its Spring 2024 season, saw participation from students representing all 50 states, with a total of 7,412 college-level competitors.
OTC had 29 students competing in the event, and several standout players performed exceptionally well in the individual competition. Joseph “Joey” Markey and Hardy Davis both earned Diamond Rankings and challenge coins, placing 67th and 219th, respectively. Daniel Kraus also made a strong showing, placing 901st and earning a Platinum Ranking.
“The challenges are an excellent way of reinforcing and demonstrating the practical application of cybersecurity that students are learning within the classroom,” emphasized Daniel Sligar, the cybersecurity instructor for OTC. “Students are not just learning theoretical concepts, but can demonstrate their mastery of different cybersecurity skills through the completion of real-world tasks they will encounter in different fields of cybersecurity once they enter the workforce.”
During the 2.5-day competition, students tackled cybersecurity challenges of varying difficulties across nine domains: Open Source Intelligence (OSINT), Cryptography, Log Analysis, Network Traffic Analysis, Forensics, Password Cracking, Web Application Exploitation, Reverse Engineering, Scanning & Reconnaissance.
Jon Williams, Director of OTC, stated, “This is a testament to the quality and relevance of the education provided at OTC, and we are proud to share this accomplishment with our community.”
- Superintendent Marcus Chambers added, “This is a remarkable accomplishment for our students who participated and the staff at Okaloosa Technical College. Their commitment and success serve as a model for others in cybersecurity, inspiring admiration and setting a high standard for excellence.”
The NCL Cyber Power Rankings measure students’ abilities to work individually and as a team in performing a wide range of cybersecurity tasks.
