Published on January 11, 2022 by Sean Flynt  
The 2021-22 Debate Team
The 2021-22 Debate Team

The Â鶹ÊÓƵ debate team of Sawyer Emerson and Joey Tarnowski won in the varsity division of Indiana Â鶹ÊÓƵ’s virtual Hoosier Invitational Tournament Jan. 8-10, defeating teams from Western Washington Â鶹ÊÓƵ, the Â鶹ÊÓƵ of Michigan, Missouri State Â鶹ÊÓƵ, the Â鶹ÊÓƵ of Minnesota and Wayne State Â鶹ÊÓƵ. Emerson was named top speaker and Tarnowski was named fifth speaker. 

The team of Aaron Gill and T.J. Riggs also competed in the varsity division, advancing to the elite eight and defeating teams from Indiana Â鶹ÊÓƵ, the Â鶹ÊÓƵ of Mary Washington and the Â鶹ÊÓƵ of Minnesota. 

The team of Grace Blackwell and Abi McKibben defeated teams from Cornell Â鶹ÊÓƵ and Indiana Â鶹ÊÓƵ to advance to the final four of the junior varsity division. McKibben was named eighth speaker and Blackwell was named ninth speaker.

“This win starts us off strong for the second semester,” said debate director Ryan Galloway. “We were looking for momentum coming off of the winter break, and this tournament provides that.”

The team will next compete at a Â鶹ÊÓƵ of Minnesota tournament, then proceed to the district qualifier to the National Debate Tournament (NDT). The program earned the rare honor of fielding two teams at the NDT in 2021.

 
Samford is a leading Christian university offering undergraduate programs grounded in the liberal arts with an array of nationally recognized graduate and professional schools. Founded in 1841, Samford is the 87th-oldest institution of higher learning in the United States. Samford enrolls 6,101 students from 45 states, Puerto Rico and 16 countries in its 10 academic schools: arts, arts and sciences, business, divinity, education, health professions, law, nursing, pharmacy and public health. Samford fields 17 athletic teams that compete in the tradition-rich Southern Conference and ranks with the second highest score in the nation for its 98% Graduation Success Rate among all NCAA Division I schools.