Press Releases

Top US cyber athletes preparing for the inaugural International Cybersecurity Challenge

RESTON, Va. – US Cyber Games™ announced today that CompTIA, the global leader in vendor-neutral technical education and certifications for the world’s information technology (IT) workforce, is sponsoring the first-ever US Cyber Games competition and national cyber team.

Founded by Katzcy™ in cooperation with the National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education (NICE) program at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), US Cyber Games was created to inspire the next generation to achieve higher levels of competencies in cybersecurity through training and competitions.

“CompTIA and the US Cyber Games share a common goal to create well-prepared talent for future careers in cybersecurity,” said Kelly Ricker, executive vice president for events and education at CompTIA. “By competing in the US Cyber Games, athletes will demonstrate to prospective employers that they have the commitment and skills to become immediate contributors to a cybersecurity team.”

Katzcy CEO & US Cyber Games Commissioner Jessica Gulick explains, “It's simply not enough to create a diverse pipeline of cybersecurity professionals. For the US to battle future cyber-threat actors and complex attacks, we must attract, train, and retain sharp cyber professionals who can innovate, collaborate, and operate with keen instincts, situational awareness, and practiced techniques. Cyber as a sport is critical to developing these skills and why we're recruiting cyber athletes, coaches, and sponsors to build the first-ever US Cyber Team.”

The US Cyber Games kicked off in June when more than 650 athletes from 43 states competed in the US Cyber Open Capture-the-Flag event. Top performers at that event advance to the US Cyber Combine™ Invitational which begins on July 9. Register to attend this virtual, live-streamed event to see the Coaching Team introduced and top-level athletes invited to the next phase of training. During the Combine, athletes will undergo a rigorous evaluation of their aptitude and skills. The top 20 athletes selected for the first-ever US Cyber Team™ will be announced on Draft Day on October 5. This team will represent the United States at the inaugural International Cybersecurity Challenge (ICC) in Athens, Greece, in December 2021.

The US Cyber Games are led by PlayCyber (by Katzcy). This project is supported by the National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education (NICE), a program of the National Institute of Standards and Technology in the U.S. Department of Commerce. To learn more visit https://www.uscybergames.com/.

About CompTIA
The Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA) is a leading voice and advocate for the $5 trillion global information technology ecosystem; and the estimated 75 million industry and tech professionals who design, implement, manage, and safeguard the technology that powers the world’s economy. Through education, training, certifications, advocacy, philanthropy, and market research, CompTIA is the hub for advancing the tech industry and its workforce. Visit  https://www.comptia.org/.

About Katzcy & The US Cyber GamesThe inaugural US Cyber Games yearlong program will be run by Katzcy, a woman-owned marketing and cybersecurity games company with extensive experience in identifying and recruiting cybersecurity talent and in directing epic cybersecurity games. Through our PlayCyber line of business, Katzcy is helping build a stronger and more diverse community of cybersecurity athletes by delivering the world’s most exciting cyber games experience. Previous Katzcy cybersecurity events include Cyber Carnival Games, Cyber Games Summit, Uniting Women in Cyber 2019, WalkOff Consortium, and the Wicked6 Annual Tournament. Katzcy CEO Jessica Gulick explains, “Cyber games are our passion. We view them not as just events, but as a fundamental element to competency development for the next generation of a diverse and well-qualified community of cybersecurity talent.”

This project is supported by the National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education (NICE), a program of the National Institute of Standards and Technology in the U.S. Department of Commerce, under financial assistance award #70NANB21H032.

Media Contacts

Steven Ostrowski
CompTIA
[email protected]
+1 630 678 8468

Dawn Mayfield White
Katzcy
[email protected]
+1 703 651 2667