Marking a major operational milestone, Capitol Tech’s Signal 9 Cyber Battle Team simultaneously participated in two national collegiate cybersecurity qualifier events, underscoring the team’s growing reputation in competitive cyber defense and attack exercises.
The team kicked off participation in the Mid-Atlantic Collegiate Cyber Defense Competition (MACCDC) Qualifiers, a full-day defensive cyber operations exercise that featured live scoring, inject responses, and sustained system defense under simulated real-world pressures. MACCDC is one of the premier collegiate cyber competitions in the nation, designed to test students’ ability to manage, operate, and secure a business network against active threats.
Shortly after, Signal 9 also initiated parallel competition duties in the Information Security Talent Search (ISTS) Qualifiers, transitioning into a complementary attack-and-defend environment. ISTS, hosted by the Rochester Institute of Technology’s (RIT) cyber security club, challenges teams to defend critical systems against seasoned adversaries and provides opportunities in “King of the Hill” and “Capture the Flag” (CTF) events. These competitions all demand focused technical execution, controlled access, and coordinated communications by participants.
Running both competitions in parallel requires coordinated leadership across multiple competition frameworks, real-time prioritization, effective communication, and sustained technical performance under high-pressure operational demands. This dual-event execution not only reflects the capability and discipline of the Signal 9 team but reinforces Capitol Tech’s commitment to high-impact experiential education in real-world cybersecurity arenas.
Signal 9 is Capitol Tech’s elite cyber battle team, with dedicated students representing the university in a wide range of national events. Practicing both defensive (blue team) and offensive (red team) skills, members apply what they learn in the classroom and during club meetings to defend networks against live attacks, test digital forensics, threat hunt, and perform rapid incident response under realistic time and pressure constraints.
These experiences and competitions not only sharpen technical skills but build professional networks with peers and industry professionals. Capitol Tech is recognized as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense (NCAE-CD), participation in events like MACCDC and ISTS corresponds directly with Capitol Tech’s strategy for preparing the next generation of cybersecurity experts.
Special Thanks to Our Student Participants
CCDC:
- Jaylin Morgan
- Brenden Rojas
- Darius Nalley-Stoddard
- Carlos Gamez
- Ashya Cox
- Alexander Copeland
- Ryan Martin
- Nathan Koch
ISTS:
- Rebecca Steele
- Destiny Mejia
- Michael Mai
- Joseph Morrison
- Bryan Couzens
Remote Side Judges:
- Aidan Fitzgerald (CapTechU Alum)
- Jalen Wright (CapTechU Alum)
Looking Ahead
The insights gained from the competitions will be incorporated into focused efforts to enhance performance and effective cyber tactics through targeted technical team and individual skill development, refined competition team roles and playbooks, and enhanced preparation strategies for future competitions.
In addition, to celebrate Capitol Technology University’s longstanding leadership in cyber education, we are proud to launch a year-long celebration through our October 2026 anniversary, marking 25 years of excellence in cybersecurity education and innovation.
Check back throughout the year for updates, announcements, and opportunities to engage as we honor our past, celebrate our present, and look ahead to the future of cybersecurity at Capitol Tech.