Published on January 28, 2020 by Sean Flynt  
Debate Student Group
Samford debaters had great success at the January tournament

Samford University’s debate team earned important wins at the United States Naval Academy Tournament Jan. 18-20. The team of Sarah Emerson and Max Willinger defeated the top-ten team from Northwestern University as well as teams from Georgetown University, University of California at Long Beach, Liberty University and the University of Georgia. The duo advanced to the sweet sixteen of the tournament, and Emerson was named ninth speaker.

The team of Anna Claire Noblitt and Libby Rau also competed, achieving a winning record and defeating teams from Emory University, James Madison University and the University of Indiana.

“The performance illustrates that Samford can compete with, and beat, the best teams in the nation,” said director of debate Ryan Galloway.  “Samford has an excellent debate tradition that dates all the way back to the beginning of the university, and these fine students are continuing that reputation every weekend,” Galloway added.

The debate team will next compete in a district tournament at Emory University Feb. 14-16, hoping to qualify for the National Debate Tournament at James Madison University.

 
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 6th nationally for its Graduation Success Rate among all NCAA Division I schools.