Rochester debate team earns top spot

he University's Debate Union, a team that less than a decade ago was unranked and consisted of three students, earned first place in the National Debate Tournament rankings this year. The 60-member team, now the largest in the nation, also ranked second in the Cross Examination Debate Association standings.

"This is a great accomplishment for the students, to beat out strong teams from schools like Northwestern, Michigan State, Emory, Dartmouth, and Harvard," says head coach Sam Nelson, assistant professor of English and director of forensics. "It shows their dedication and how much time and hard work they put into preparing for competition."

The debaters competed in 19 tournaments this season, with each tournament involving six to 12 rounds. Nelson said his teams debated a total of more than 1,000 times and won more than 600 debates. Debaters spent upwards of 20 hours each week on research in the library and online, refining arguments and creating new supporting cases. Research also meant anticipating opponents' reactions and developing counterarguments.

Individual team members also earned national honors. Christy Webster '03 was named All-American for her debating skills. John Vermitsky '03 was named Academic All-American, which recognizes academic achievements as well as debating success. Amy Novak '02 received the Michael K. Davis Award, presented to the top debater in the eastern United States who started debating in college with no previous high school experience.

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