CyberBillikens Rank Among the Nation’s Top CTF Teams
Saint Louis University’s Capture the Flag team, the CyberBillikens, earned a sixth-place finish in the Experienced Bracket of the National Cyber League’s Spring 2026 Cyber Power Rankings, competing against colleges and universities from across the country.
The National Cyber League concluded the Spring 2026 competition with participation from 7,522 students and 670 high schools, colleges, and universities representing 49 states across the U.S. Students competed in cybersecurity challenges involving digital forensics, penetration testing, website auditing, ransomware recovery, and other technical skills used in the cybersecurity workforce.
Syam Sai Siddabhattula, founder and captain of the CyberBillikens, has helped build the team into a nationally competitive program. Siddabhattula led members throughout the season by organizing practices, mentoring teammates, and preparing students for high-level cybersecurity challenges.
SLU student Pranay Garapati also earned individual recognition, placing 11th out of 466 competitors in the Experienced Bracket. Reflecting on the experience, Garapati said the competition helped him better understand how cybersecurity concepts apply in real-world situations.
The team is supported by Maria Weber, faculty mentor and director of SLU’s cybersecurity program, whose guidance has helped students strengthen both their technical and professional skills.
The team’s placement highlights the growth of SLU’s cybersecurity community and the hands-on experience students gain through competitive events. Unlike traditional coursework, Capture the Flag competitions require students to solve real-world cybersecurity problems under time pressure while collaborating as a team.
The rankings were released by the National Cyber League and Cyber Skyline on May 13. More information about the Spring 2026 rankings is available through Cyber Skyline.