Southern Miss Computer Science Students Earn First-Place Finish at ICPC Regional Contest

Tue, 02/03/2026 - 09:37am | By: David Tisdale

A team of students from The University of Southern Mississippi’s School of Computing Sciences and Computer Engineering earned a first-place finish at the International Collegiate Programming Contest (ICPC) Southeast USA Regional Contest, demonstrating their ability to compete at the highest level of collegiate programming.

The contest, held in Miami, brought together teams from 95 universities across 16 states along the East Coast and South. The Southern Miss team solved nine of 13 problems to win the ICPC North America South Division 2025 – Division 2, outperforming teams from some of the nation’s premier academic institutions.

ICPC is a five-hour programming competition in which teams of up to three students work on a single computer—without internet access—to solve complex algorithmic and mathematical challenges as quickly and accurately as possible. Teams use programming languages such as C++, Java and Python. The competition is part of a global network of regional contests that can lead to advancement to the ICPC World Finals and is widely recognized for fostering creativity, teamwork and innovation under pressure.

The Southern Miss team included freshmen computer science majors Atabay Rajabli and Abdelrahman Teima; and Hosameldin Darwish, a sophomore.

“The ICPC is known as the ‘Olympics of Programming’ so the pressure was always high,” said Rajabli. “We spent months as a team practicing for hours each day, working to figure out each other's strengths and weaknesses to effectively perform under strict time limits and pressure. We are proud to show that Southern Miss Computer Science students can compete at the highest level.”

CSCE Associate Professor Dr. Ahmed Sherif served as the team’s coach and said the experience provided students with valuable technical and professional skills beyond the competition itself.

“Our students did a fantastic job in this competition, making them eligible to advance to higher tiers, including the North America Championship and potentially the ICPC World Finals,” Sherif said. “I’m very proud of them.”

Sherif described ICPC as one of the world’s oldest and most prestigious programming competitions, noting its role in preparing the next generation of computing professionals and strengthening connections between academia and industry.

“It fosters the next generation of computing professionals and bridges the gap between academia and industry, and is a strong public affirmation of the academic excellence in our programs and high caliber of our students,” he said.

In addition to its academic impact, ICPC is widely regarded as a recruiting pipeline for major technology companies, financial institutions and government organizations. Sherif noted that strong performances can lead to increased visibility, internship opportunities, and career pathways for students while strengthening institutional partnerships with industry leaders.

The School of Computing Sciences and Computer Engineering offers undergraduate degrees in computer science, computer engineering, information technology and cybersecurity. Graduate programs include a Master of Science in information technology and cybersecurity management, as well as M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in computer science.

Learn more about the Southern Miss School of Computing Sciences and Computer Engineering and its programs.