Danville Community College Hosts 4th Annual ‘CyberKnights Showdown’ Cybersecurity Competition

Danville Community College (DCC) hosted its 4th Annual ‘CyberKnights Showdown’ cybersecurity competition on Friday, October 24, 2025. The three-hour event took place inside DCC’s Cyber Center of Excellence in the Temple Building, followed by an awards ceremony in Oliver Hall recognizing this year’s top-performing teams.

“Events like the CyberKnights Showdown exemplify what community colleges do best, connecting education to opportunity,” said Dr. Cornelius Johnson, President of Danville Community College. “When students walk into this competition, they’re not just solving digital puzzles, they’re unlocking their potential and discovering that their skills can change the world.”

The competition brought together students from Chatham High School, Tunstall High School, Gretna High School, and Dan River High School, who faced off in two-person teams during a fast-paced, capture-the-flag-style event.

“The CyberKnights Showdown is an opportunity for students to see themselves as innovators, problem solvers, and future leaders in a critical global industry,” said Dr. DeAndre Howard, Vice President of Academic Affairs & Student Services. “DCC is proud to provide a platform where local students can explore the power of technology and the importance of protecting our digital world.”

Categories of the competition included Open Source Intelligence Gathering (OSINT), Forensic Analysis, Web Exploitation, Steganography, Cryptography, Network Traffic Analysis, Reverse Engineering, and Encryption.

“Every year, these students continue to raise the bar,” said Melissa Mann, Dean of Career & Technical Education. “Their curiosity, creativity, and teamwork remind us why events like this matter. It takes incredible collaboration between our educators, partners, and sponsors to make this happen and it’s all worth it when you see their excitement and pride.”

The 2025 ‘CyberKnights Showdown’ was made possible through the generous support of local and regional industry sponsors, including River City Printing Solutions, Microsoft, Docusystems, Tekabyte, Rapid7, and the Danville Community College Educational Foundation.

The competition, which ran from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., challenged students to solve complex cybersecurity puzzles and real-world digital defense scenarios. After scoring was completed, students gathered for the award ceremony to celebrate their achievements.

Winning Teams:



FIRST PLACE: Team: Robert – Blake Trembley & Casper Large

First Prize: Xbox Gaming System, donated by Microsoft

SECOND PLACE: Team: *Funny* – Jackson Nuckols & Ashton Holder

Second Prize: $250 Visa Gift Card, donated by the DCC Educational Foundation

THIRD PLACE: Team: That's What She SSID – Zachary Inman & Brayden Conner

Third Prize: $100 Gift Card, donated by the DCC Educational Foundation

“Cybersecurity is an ever-changing field that rewards persistence and ingenuity,” said Steve Carrigan, Assistant Professor of Information Technology, Director of the Cyber Center of Excellence, and event organizer. “Our goal is to help students realize that the skills they’re developing today can lead to meaningful, high-demand careers right here in Southern Virginia and beyond.”

The ‘CyberKnights Showdown’ continues to serve as a platform for young cybersecurity enthusiasts to test their skills, collaborate with peers, and explore future pathways in one of today’s fastest-growing career fields.

For more information about Cybersecurity and Information Technology Programs at DCC, visit www.danville.edu