Published on March 18, 2025 by Gunnar Sadowey  
SuDebate2025

Samford’s Debate Team capped off its regular season with strong performances at the American Debate Association (ADA) National Championship, setting the stage for an appearance at the upcoming National Debate Tournament (NDT).

The team of senior Aaron Gill and sophomore Laurel Pack placed 13th at the ADA National Championship, hosted by the University of Houston, marking Samford’s best performance at the event since 2022. The duo recorded key wins against Boston College, the University of Kentucky, the University of Iowa and Wake Forest University before falling to the University of Michigan and Georgetown University. The University of Michigan went on to win the tournament.

Gill was ranked as the 25th-best speaker among more than 120 debaters at the competition.

“I’m incredibly proud of our debaters for their hard work and perseverance throughout the season,” said Mike Janas, interim director of debate at Samford. “As we prepare for the National Debate Tournament, we are excited for the opportunity to compete at the highest level and continue building on our strong tradition of excellence.”

The Samford debate program ended the season ranked 11th in the nation in the ADA rankings. The team had finished third in 2024 and 10th in 2023, maintaining a consistent national presence.

“Coaching the debate team has been a deeply rewarding opportunity that has allowed me to give back to a community that has shaped me in countless ways,” said Grace Blackwell, debate coach and program alumna. “I am deeply grateful to play a meaningful role in my students’ academic development.”

The novice program, which consists of students with no prior high school debate experience, achieved a historic finish, ranking second in the nation after placing 14th last year. This marks Samford’s highest ever finish in the category.

Among the standout novice teams, Lexi Bush, a senior transfer from Birmingham-Southern College and Kate Alexander, a freshman, finished the season as the second-best novice team in the nation, earning the Front Royale Award.

“Tournaments are intense, but the camaraderie makes every weekend worthwhile,” said Alexander. “We embrace a ‘0-0’ mindset—each round is a fresh start. My favorite memory was celebrating with the team after the Wayne State awards ceremony, where we earned five speaker awards and the novice division title.”

Bush and Alexander competed in policy-style debates that focused on the adoption of a clean energy policy in the United States. Their affirmative arguments centered on a national carbon tax and the use of small modular nuclear reactors (SMRs).

"As a senior transfer student, I was fearful of not finding any community on a campus so late in my college experience,” said Bush. “Samford Debate has been a new family for me, and I'm grateful for everyone who has made that possible. A few new trophies haven’t been too bad of an added bonus as well."

Samford’s season will conclude at the NDT, hosted by Gonzaga University in Spokane, Washington, during the first week of April. The tournament invites the top 78 teams in the country, with Samford representing the Southeastern region for the 38th time in program history.

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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.