EWU Cyber Team Takes Second Place in National Competition

Eastern Washington University continues to shine as a leader in applied learning and cybersecurity excellence. Last weekend, EWU’s Cyber Team placed second in the “experienced division” of the National Cyber League (NCL) Spring 2025 Team Game, outperforming 469 other advanced teams across the country.

The competition, held remotely April 25-27, is a premier event that challenges students to solve real-world cybersecurity problems, including cryptography, network traffic analysis and digital forensics. Hosted by National Cyber League in partnership with Cyber Skyline, a digital security skills evaluation platform, the event annually attracts more than 17,000 students from over 500 colleges and high school nationwide.

EWU’s top-tier team included a diverse mix of talent: a graduate student, a senior, a junior, two freshmen, and a high school senior who plans to enroll at EWU this fall. Competing in the experienced category—a bracket for seasoned competitors—the team’s second-place finish reflects the university’s strength in hands-on, career-focused education.

“As the region’s polytechnic university, EWU is proud to offer students competitive, applied learning opportunities that translate directly into workforce readiness,” said EWU President Shari McMahan. EWU is the only four-year institution in the state that is a designated National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense by the National Security Agency.

Roughly 33% of undergraduates at Eastern Washington University are enrolled in STEM fields, including its cybersecurity and cyber defense programs.