[Techtaffy Newsdesk]

The National Collegiate Cyber Defense Competition (NCCDC) is returning to San Antonio for the seventh consecutive year. Sponsored by Deloitte, the three-day national championship will kick off on April 20th at the St. Anthony Hotel.

Modeled from real world scenarios and obstacles, this competition will feature the top 10 champions of the regional Collegiate Cyber Defense Competition from universities across the country. The national event will serve as an additional training ground for future cyber defenders. “San Antonio boasts one of our nation’s largest military contingents,” said Dr. Gregory White, director, UTSA Center for Infrastructure Assurance and Security. “Students who participate in these kinds of competitions are at the forefront of the war on terror. Cyber terrorism is very real. Each day, our federal government and commercial sectors are at risk. Our competition provides the necessary foundation for students to implement what they’ve learned to serve a higher calling as key defenders against cyber terrorism and maintain the security of our networks.”

The NCCDC consists of qualifying and regional events with the winners of each regional event advancing to the National Championship. The winners of the 10 regional CCDC events are: At-Large Regional: University of Alaska Fairbanks; Mid-Atlantic Regional: Towson University; Midwest Regional: St. Cloud State University; Northeast Regional: Rochester Institute of Technology; North Central Regional: University of Wyoming; Pacific Rim Regional: University of Washington; Rocky Mountain Regional: United States Air Force Academy; Southeast Regional: University of North Carolina at Charlotte; Southwest Regional: Texas A&M University; Western Regional: California State Polytechnic University, Pomona.