In a riveting display of Wolverine grit, Utah Valley University’s (UVU) “W0LV3R1NES” cybersecurity team claimed first place among 45 top university, military, and private sector teams worldwide in the 2025 International Cyber 9/12 Strategy Challenge, hosted by the Atlantic Council on March 15.
During the competition, UVU students showcased their expertise by briefing high-ranking officials from the White House, CIA, Department of Homeland Security, and Department of Defense, as well as top executives from cybersecurity giants like Cisco, CrowdStrike, and Siemens.
“Our team was unique because all four competitors came from different academic backgrounds, creating a specialized yet cohesive unit,” said Brandon Amacher, UVU cybersecurity team coach. “UVU’s success comes from the scrappy determination of our students — while we may not have the biggest name, our team researches every point in depth and puts in long hours of practice. We handpicked elite students, and through rigorous training, we watched them transform into truly exceptional competitors.”
UVU’s all-undergraduate team faced master’s students, doctoral students, and seasoned professionals from top global universities, including Columbia University, Stanford University, Duke University, Texas A&M University, Brigham Young University, the U.S. Air Force Academy, New York University, and other elite institutions.
In preparation for the competition, UVU students spent months in intensive training, honing their research, intelligence analysis, and presentation skills through twice-weekly practice sessions. To further strengthen their resilience under pressure, they also completed specialized FBI stress inoculation training, ensuring they could perform at the highest level in high-stakes scenarios.
The students mastered the evolving cyber threat landscape, global geopolitics, and government power structures, enabling them to assess threats and defend their recommendations with precedent-backed arguments — key to their success in the competition.
The W0LV3R1NES team included four students from the UVU Center for National Security Studies (CNSS): Hope Fager, Durham, North Carolina; Camden Mead, Salem, Utah; Apollonia Perfetti, Scarsdale, New York; and Amanda Tew, Mapleton, Utah. Five NSS students, Aaron Allred, Ian McDonald, Kaye Banner, Leah Olsen, and Maliq Rowe, helped the team research and prepare for the competition.
Coaches and Advisors
- Brandon Amacher, director, UVU Emerging Tech Policy Lab
- Jonathan Rudd, professor, UVU CNSS and criminal justice
- Andre Jones, UVU CNSS alumnus and national security professional
- Maggie Hutchens, UVU CNSS alumna and current Georgetown University graduate student
- Nicholas Bradley, UVU CNSS alumnus and intelligence professional
Additionally, the W0LV3R1NES were supported by local professionals, academics, and alumni, including Richard Quinn, Mike Smidt, Andre Jones, and Grant Amacher. The Center for National Security Studies (CNSS) at UVU played a crucial role in supporting the team’s preparation, and the team received generous support from Strider, a Utah-based strategic intelligence company that empowers organizations to safeguard their technology and innovation.
About the Cyber 9/12 Strategy Challenge
The Cyber 9/12 Strategy Challenge, hosted by the Atlantic Council, is a premier cybersecurity policy and strategy competition. It brings together students from around the world to develop policy recommendations in response to a simulated cyber catastrophe.
About Strider
Strider is a leading strategic intelligence company that helps organizations secure and advance their technology and innovation. By leveraging AI and proprietary methodologies, Strider transforms publicly available data into actionable insights. With operations in 10 countries, the company has offices in Salt Lake City, Washington, DC, Tokyo, and London.
About the CNSS at Utah Valley University
The Center for National Security Studies (CNSS) is the premier national security program in the Intermountain West. Supporting multiple student organizations, including the W0LV3R1NES, the CNSS provides students with invaluable experience and brings national recognition to UVU. The CNSS is led by Professor Ryan Vogel. More information can be found at uvu.edu/nss.
About Utah Valley University
At Utah Valley University, we believe everyone deserves the transforming benefits of high-quality education — and it needs to be affordable, accessible, and flexible. With opportunities to earn everything from certificates to master’s degrees, our students succeed by gaining real-world experience and developing career-ready skills. We continue to invite people to come as they are — and leave ready and prepared to make a difference in the world.
