UM Debate is ranked #11 in the nation!

The first National Intercollegiate Debate Rankings for 2013 have been posted, and The University of Miami Debate Team is ranked among the nation’s elite.  In the National Debate Tournament (NDT) rankings, UM placed 11^th (of 115 member schools), and the Cross Examination Debate Association (CEDA) rankings place UM at #12.  UM is second in the Southeast Region to Wake Forest, who is ranked 6^th by the NDT and 5^th by CEDA.

Rankings are based on an accumulation of ballots won across all divisions of debate.

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An amazing showing for the Canes at the West Point Debate Tournament

The University of Miami Debate Team traveled to West Point, New York on October 18-21 to compete at the US Military Academy. As a squad, the team won 26 debates, losing only 12. Four of five UM Teams entered in the tournament advanced into the elimination (award) rounds). In a field of 42 teams in novice debate, UM teams finished the preliminary debates seeded 4, 5, and 13, and advanced into the semifinals. 

In Junior Varsity, UM was the 9th seed. 

In the Junior Varsity Division, David Silverman and Spencer George compiled a preliminary debate record of 4-2, but lost a 2-1 decision in the sweet sixteen to Liberty University. The UM Novice team of Valentina Valdez and Nate Nunez also had a 4-2 record in the prelims, and defeated George Mason University in the first elimination round on a 3-0 decision. 

Also in Novice debate, Barbara Puodzius and Ashley Park were 5-1, advancing into the quarterfinals. In the round of 16, they defeated a team from Liberty University of Virginia. Joe Karam and Russ Wilde were 5-1, advancing all the way into the semifinals, where they lost a 2-1 decision to Binghamton University of New York. Along the way, UM won key debates against The New School from New York City, West Virginia University, Monmouth, Vanderbilt, and Cornell. 

This is another outstanding performance by the UM Debaters, who have been working hard on the topic of Presidential War Powers since the summer. UM’s goal is to break the top 20 in national rankings, based on squad success.

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Results from the Sunshine State Showdown at UCF

In order to generate more opportunities for debate competition closer to home, and to promote the growth on debate programs in Florida, UM Debate led the organization of the first Sunshine State Showdown Intercollegiate Debate Tournament, held at The University of Central Florida in Orlando on October 12.  The tournament was hosted by UCF, and run by UM Faculty David Steinberg and Patrick Waldinger.  UF, FSU, USF, UCF, and UM participated.  That the event was held was a success for us, and it offered the opportunity to involve 12 UM Debaters (and lots of other student debaters from Florida) in an excellent day of debate competition.  For nine UM students, it was their first time to enter an intercollegiate policy debate tournament. 

Of course, UM students won a number of awards.  The team of Xingkai Liu and Anna Ivanova won all four of their debates and were the 2^nd place team, losing on tie-breakers to a team from UF.  Anna was the 3^rd place speaker in the tournament and Xingkai was 6^th.  Adrianne Babun-Chavarria and Vikas Manjunath won 3 debates against one loss and were the fourth place team.  Communication Major Renee Reneau was the top speaker and Michael Fuentes won recognition as the 7^th place speaker.

This week the UM team will travel to The United States Military Academy at West Point, New York.  After this week, 21 UM students will have represented the U in Debate competition, 13 in their first intercollegiate policy tournaments. 

Participation in debate is open to all UM undergraduates.  Interested students should contact David Steinberg at dave@miami.edu

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