Early 2026 competition results highlight applied learning and workforce-ready skills

UMGC student and cyber team member Matthew Moman

For University of Maryland Global Campus (UMGC) cyber team member Matthew Moman, who is pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Cybersecurity Technology, competitions go beyond the classroom. 

“They allow me to experience new technologies and real threats,” he said. “They also help me gain knowledge about career progression and the cybersecurity challenges affecting organizations today.” 

In 2026, the UMGC cybersecurity competition team has earned top placements across several collegiate and industry-sponsored cybersecurity competitions, underscoring not only the talent and dedication of UMGC’s learners, but also the university’s sustained commitment to preparing them with workforce-ready skills.

“These events mirror what cybersecurity professionals experience on the job,” said Jesse Varsalone, collegiate associate professor of Cybersecurity Technology and coach of the UMGC team. “UMGC cyber team members are honing skills they use immediately, and they are among the best.” 

UMGC master’s student and cyber team member Brian Mingus

A string of national wins to kick off 2026 

In just the first three months of the year, the UMGC team earned wins in offensive, defensive, and application security challenges. The momentum began January 22 with a first-place finish in the World Wide Technology (WWT) CrowdStrike Capture the Flag (CTF) competition. UMGC distinguished itself as the first and only team to solve all 20 challenges, completing them in just four and a half hours of the six-hour event.

Team member Brian Mingus, who is pursuing a Master of Science in Cybersecurity Management & Policy at UMGC, also believes that competitions turn classroom learning into hands-on experience. 

“Competitions ranging from application security to threat hunting all require clear thinking, teamwork, and adaptability,” he said. “The practical skill-building and networking has been invaluable for my growth.”

Building on early success with back-to-back wins 

The CrowdStrike CTF performance set the tone for the weeks that followed. On February 18, UMGC secured first place and a perfect score in the World Wide Technology (WWT) F5 CTF Beta Test, followed by a second-place finish—also with a perfect score—the next day in WWT’s Haystack Hunt for Indicators of Compromise Challenge. On February 27, the team added another first-place finish at the BloomCON 0x0A CTF competition.

UMGC continued to perform at the highest national levels at Hack the Madness in March, advancing to the Elite Eight and narrowly missing further advancement after a tightly contested match against Cornell University. The team closed out the month with a strong run of first-place finishes. On March 26, it took top honors at the virtual Mid-Atlantic Collegiate Cyber Defense Competition (MACCDC) Hack the Box CTF, an event hosted by UMGC. The momentum continued on March 27 with a first-place finish at the WWT Zscaler CTF Beta Test, followed by another victory at the inaugural Maryland CTF Competition, hosted by the University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC) on March 28.

Together, these early 2026 results reflect the strength of UMGC’s applied learning model, where students gain technical, operational, and collaborative experience under realistic competitive conditions. As cybersecurity threats grow in complexity and scale, UMGCs focus on experiential learning is designed to help students prepare for and make an immediate contribution in the cybersecurity workforce. 

Competitions ranging from application security to threat hunting all require clear thinking, teamwork, and adaptability. The practical skill-building and networking has been invaluable.

Brian Mingus UMGC master’s student and cyber team member