ANN ARBOR—Two University of Michigan students and a recent graduate were among 16 finalists in the first round of the 2001 TopCoder Collegiate Challenge.

Andrew Nierman, James Lee and Jason Dillaman each received cash prizes—Nierman tied for second place in the tournament and received $25, 000, Lee tied for ninth with a cash prize of $5,750, and Dillaman tied for 12th and won $3,000. Nierman and Lee competed in the second round; Lee now is eligible for a third round in the tournament next month. Top prize awarded in the competition is $100,000.

Nierman, of Dryden, Wash., has a M.S. degree in computer science and engineering from U-M, and is working on his Ph.D. in computer science and engineering at U-M. Lee, of Exeter, N.H., recently received his M.S. in computer science from U-M. Dillaman, a senior from Grosse Pointe Farms, Mich., is majoring in computer science with a minor in math.

“The contest is largely based on speed,” says Nierman, “so the biggest challenge is trying to work very fast and still get all of the problems 100 percent correct. Having to solve three problems in an hour and 15 minutes makes it a bit more difficult.”

“TopCoder went above and beyond in an attempt to make sure everybody had a good time,” says Dillaman of its round held in San Francisco. “The best experience was probably the ‘going away’ dinner at an upscale skyscraper restaurant that overlooked the San Francisco Bay.”

“I have made it past two of three online qualification rounds. But it’s a lot harder now. . .many are very good,” says Lee.

Some 66 of TopCoder’s 3,900 members, those who register on TopCoder’s Web site for competitions, are U-M students. According to Adam Loss, TopCoder marketing analyst, U-M is the third most represented school of any in the country.

The TopCoder Challenge is a tournament organized and run by TopCoder, Inc., a programming company. (www.topcoder.com). By conducting these competitions, TopCoder, and its competitors, can draw the attention of many influential software developers in the United States to talented young people. For more information on TopCoder Inc. and its competitions, contact Loss, TopCoder marketing analyst, at (866) 867-2633. E-mail to: ALoss@topcoder.com