DSU Takes Second at DigiKey Computing Competition

Dakota State University placed second overall at the DigiKey Collegiate Computing Competition on Oct. 16 in Thief River Falls, Minnesota. DSU sent two teams to compete in a field of 16 teams.

The second-place team, “Burke and the Magic Tones,” included Burke Johnson, Miles Roberts, Lia S., and John McMahon. Minnesota State University Moorhead took first place for the second consecutive year. Its winning team competed under the name “Large AI Datacenter.”

The competition included three events: a short programming session, a long programming session, and a word-problem session. Teams faced challenges that tested their coding, logic, and problem-solving skills. The format required students to work together across different types of problems. DigiKey listed a $3,000 award for the second-place team’s department, along with a prize valued at $200 for each team member.

The finish adds to DSU’s record at the competition. The university won three consecutive titles from 2018 through 2020. DSU also placed third in 2022 and 2023, followed by second in 2025. This year’s result continues that history of strong finishes against other regional universities.