After hours of defending simulated networks against coordinated cyberattacks, a team of Cedarville University students secured first place in one of two Midwest Divisions of the NCAE Cyber Games on February 7, 2026 — and one member of the winning team has yet to graduate from high school.
For Kieran Klukas, a high school senior from Westerville, Ohio, taking dual enrollment courses at Cedarville, competing in a collegiate-level cybersecurity competition was an unexpected opportunity. After attending the university’s summer cybersecurity camp, Klukas discovered a passion for cybersecurity and began pursuing the field academically.
Klukas sought additional hands-on opportunities within Cedarville’s cybersecurity program, which ultimately led to his selection for the NCAE Cyber Games team.
Dual enrollment senior excels in collegiate cybersecurity competition
The competition follows a red team-blue team format in which industry professionals and graduate students attempt to breach the systems of competing teams. Participants must defend network infrastructure, maintain system uptime and respond to live attacks in a scenario designed to simulate real-world cybersecurity threats facing businesses, government agencies and critical infrastructure.
NCAE Cyber Games: red team–blue team live-fire format
Over seven hours, the competition operated as a live-fire exercise, with industry professionals deploying real exploits against each team’s systems. From the opening minutes, services were “catching on fire” as the red team exposed vulnerabilities across the machines. Klukas shifted rapidly between systems, patching weaknesses and shutting down access points as they appeared.
By the final stretch, Cedarville was one of the only teams still operational, making it a primary target.
Klukas spent the last hours of the competition jumping from service to service, eliminating threats and refusing to let their systems go dark.
Cedarville winning team roster and majors
Cedarville’s winning team included computer engineering, computer science and cyber operations majors. Team members were: David Pascual, a senior from Hollidaysburg, Pennsylvania, who served as team captain; Abby Wurster, a senior from Delaware, Ohio; Daniel Braisted, a junior from Whipple, Ohio; Joseph Bockmann, a senior from Windsor, Colorado; Kaleb Korner, a junior from Greenville, Indiana; Micah Crowe, a junior from Maywood, Illinois; Nathan Karn, a senior from Hollidaysburg, Pennsylvania; Noah Marrano, a sophomore from Fox River Grove, Illinois; and Stephen Fair, a sophomore from Lansing, Michigan.
Beyond the team’s success, the experience confirmed Klukas’ passion for cybersecurity.
“Initially, I wasn’t sure I belonged on the team,” said Klukas. “I was competing with incredible cybersecurity students who are skilled at what they do. Over time, I’ve had people tell me, ‘No, you actually do have skills — you belong here,’ and that’s helped quiet that little voice that says I don’t.”
National Cyber League ranking places Klukas among top students nationwide
Klukas’ performance extends beyond the NCAE Cyber Games. He ranked 120th out of more than 7,000 competitors in the National Cyber League competition last fall, placing him among the top cybersecurity students nationwide.
As Klukas completes his high school coursework and prepares to enroll at Cedarville full time, he begins his college career with hands-on experience defending networks in high-pressure environments.
About Cedarville University
Cedarville University, an evangelical Christian institution in southwest Ohio, offers undergraduate and graduate residential and online programs across arts, sciences and professional fields. With 7,265 students, it is among Ohio's largest private universities and is ranked among the nation’s top five evangelical universities in the Wall Street Journal’s 2026 Best Colleges in the U.S. Cedarville is also known for its vibrant Christian community, challenging academics and high graduation and retention rates. Learn more at cedarville.edu.