From Classroom to Competition: Cyber Defense Students Excel on National Stage
Students from the College of Coastal Georgia’s Cyber Defense program demonstrated exceptional cybersecurity skills during the National Cyber League (NCL) Fall 2026 Individual Competition, held October 23-25, 2026. Competing against 5,979 students from colleges and universities across the United States, Coastal Georgia students achieved outstanding results, with 29 students finishing in the top 25% nationally.
The National Cyber League is one of the largest collegiate cybersecurity competitions in the nation. Participants are challenged with real-world cybersecurity scenarios involving open-source intelligence, digital forensics, log analysis, password cracking, web application security, network traffic analysis, and ethical hacking. The competition provides students with the opportunity to demonstrate practical skills that align with the needs of today’s cybersecurity workforce.
Leading the Coastal Georgia contingent was James Rivera, who earned a score of 2,900 out of 3,000 points, placing 42nd nationally and finishing in the top 1% of all competitors. Several other students also earned impressive national rankings:
Jonathan Wall placed 177th nationally and finished in the top 3%.
Victoria Stanford placed 200th nationally and finished in the top 3%.
Aisleigh Livingston placed 329th nationally and finished in the top 6%.
Matthew Ramp placed 365th nationally and finished in the top 6%.
Will Garrett placed 381st nationally and finished in the top 6%.
Hilton Westenskow placed 380th nationally and finished in the top 6%.
Alexzandrea Baker placed 407th nationally and finished in the top 7%.
Jeff Barnett placed 421st nationally and finished in the top 7%.
Sarah Carr placed 479th nationally and finished in the top 8%.
Patrick Adkinson placed 487th nationally and finished in the top 8%.
Particularly noteworthy were the performances of Aisleigh Livingston, Matthew Ramp, Sarah Carr, and Nick VanWey, all of whom were competing in the NCL for the first time. Despite being newcomers to the competition, each earned a national ranking within the top 11% of nearly 6,000 competitors, an impressive accomplishment that reflects both their technical abilities and dedication to learning.
Additional students earning top national rankings included Steven Griffith, Connor Laugs, Terrence Green, Aaron Oddie, Evan Ratliff, Nick VanWey, Connor Burk, Leland Davis, JJ Johnson, Johnathan Ogden, Caleb Buckman, Isabella Manuel, Kyle Middleton, Malek Ketchup, Ogden Hose, and Austin Anderson.
“The National Cyber League provides students with an opportunity to apply classroom knowledge in a competitive environment that mirrors many of the challenges cybersecurity professionals face every day,” said Dr. Nelbert “Doc” St. Clair, associate professor of cyber defense at the College of Coastal Georgia. “Having 29 students finish in the top 25 percent of nearly 6,000 competitors demonstrates both the talent of our students and their commitment to continuous learning. I am especially proud of our first-time competitors. For Aisleigh Livingston, Matthew Ramp, Sarah Carr, and Nick VanWey to place among the top 11 percent nationally in their first NCL competition speaks volumes about their dedication and potential in the cybersecurity profession.”
The strong performance by Coastal students continues the Cyber Defense program’s tradition of success in national cybersecurity competitions. These experiences provide students with hands-on opportunities to apply their skills, build confidence, and prepare for careers in cybersecurity, digital forensics, cyber operations, network defense, and information security.
The College of Coastal Georgia congratulates all participating students for representing the institution with professionalism, perseverance, and excellence during the Fall 2026 National Cyber League competition.
*First-time NCL competitor
| Name | Score out of 3000 | Top | Place out of 5979 |
|---|---|---|---|
| James Rivera | 2900 | 1% | 42 |
| Jonathan Wall | 2680 | 3% | 177 |
| Victoria Stanford | 2650 | 3% | 200 |
| *Aisleigh Livingston | 2495 | 6% | 329 |
| *Matthew Ramp | 2450 | 6% | 365 |
| Will Garrett | 2435 | 6% | 381 |
| Hilton Westenskow | 2435 | 6% | 380 |
| *Alexzandrea Baker | 2405 | 7% | 407 |
| Jeff Barnett | 2385 | 7% | 421 |
| *Sarah Carr | 2330 | 8% | 479 |
| Patrick Adkinson | 2320 | 8% | 487 |
| Steven Griffith | 2310 | 8% | 495 |
| Connor Laugs | 2265 | 9% | 530 |
| Terrence Green | 2200 | 10% | 592 |
| Aaron Oddie | 2175 | 10% | 617 |
| Evan Ratliff | 2155 | 11% | 637 |
| *Nick VanWey | 2120 | 11% | 666 |
| Connor Burk | 2070 | 12% | 717 |
| Leland Davis | 2030 | 13% | 758 |
| JJ Johnson | 1915 | 15% | 893 |
| Johnathan Ogden | 1865 | 16% | 945 |
| Caleb Buckman | 1862 | 16% | 946 |
| Isabella Manuel | 1820 | 16% | 977 |
| Kyle Middleton | 1810 | 16% | 982 |
| Malek Ketchup | 1792 | 17% | 1005 |
| Ogden Hose | 1745 | 17% | 1046 |
| Austin Anderson | 1465 | 22% | 1336 |
About the National Cyber League
The National Cyber League (NCL) is a performance-based cybersecurity competition that allows students to develop and demonstrate hands-on skills through realistic cybersecurity challenges. NCL participants gain practical experience in fields such as ethical hacking, digital forensics, network security, cryptography, and cyber defense while benchmarking their abilities against students from across the nation.
Story submitted by Associate Professor of Cyber Defense Dr. Nelbert “Doc” St. Clair