On March 21–22, 2025, the Messiah University Cybersecurity Competition Team competed in the in-person Mid-Atlantic Collegiate Cyber Defense Competition (CCDC) regional event, hosted at the University of Maryland. This event brought together ten top teams from across the region who advanced from the virtual qualifiers earlier this year.
As in the qualifier, the competition followed an “inherit and defend” format, simulating a real-world business environment under active cyberattack. This time, however, the challenge increased significantly: in addition to on-premises systems, teams were also responsible for maintaining and defending cloud infrastructure. This added layer highlighted the critical importance of edge and cloud security—skills that are increasingly vital in the cybersecurity field.
Messiah’s team, composed of Chris, Brandon, Carolina, Austin, Ryan, Mitch, Eli, and Ben, held their own against much larger Division I universities. While official rankings were released only for the top three teams, Messiah placed in the middle of the standings—an impressive feat considering the scale and experience of their competition.
The team demonstrated continued growth in system administration, cloud operations, communication, and business process management. They left the competition with valuable insights and a renewed motivation to sharpen their technical skills for future challenges. The results of this competition are a testament to Messiah’s growing cybersecurity program and the leadership of coach Dr. David Bibighaus. The team is already looking ahead to next year’s competition season with excitement and determination.
Thanks to Chris for this summary.
