UNC Charlotte’s 49er Cyber Defense Team Qualifies for Prestigious Southeastern Collegiate Cyber Defense Competition

The University of North Carolina at Charlotte is proud to announce that its distinguished 49er Cyber Defense (49SD) Team has successfully qualified for the highly competitive Southeastern Collegiate Cyber Defense Competition (SECCDC). This marks a significant achievement for the team, underscoring UNC Charlotte’s growing prowess in cybersecurity education and real-world defense strategies.

The SECCDC, a regional qualifier for the National Collegiate Cyber Defense Competition (NCCDC), challenges university teams to operate and protect a simulated business network from live “red team” attacks, while simultaneously maintaining critical services and responding to business injects. Qualification for this event is a testament to the students’ deep technical skills, teamwork, and ability to perform under pressure in a high-stakes cybersecurity environment.

“We are incredibly proud of the 49SD team’s dedication and hard work,” said Dr. Bill Chu, Professor and Managing Directer of the CyberDNA Center. “Their performance demonstrates the rigorous training and innovative approach to cybersecurity education that UNC Charlotte provides. This achievement not only highlights their individual talents but also reinforces our commitment to developing the next generation of cybersecurity leaders.”

The 49SD team distinguished itself in a demanding qualification round, showcasing expertise in network defense, incident response, digital forensics, and secure system administration. The team effectively defended against sophisticated cyber threats, ensuring the continuity of business operations—a critical skill in today’s digital landscape.

The UNC Charlotte 49SD Team members who have qualified for the SECCDC are:

Matt (Team Captain)
Davy
Matthew Hampton
Wesley Greeter
Tyler Eisenbraun
Hunter Korff
Austin Stitz
Jake Fabrizio