Detroit, MI – (October 26th, 2021) The Wayne State University team hosted their sixth annual debate tournament in honor of George W. Ziegelmueller, a distinguished professor of Communication and former debate coach at Wayne State from 1957-2006, on the weekend of October 22-24. This year’s debate tournament featured one hundred and two competitors from twenty-eight different colleges and universities. Undergraduate students competed across three divisions based on experience levels Novice, Junior Varsity and Open.
The event featured six preliminary rounds of competition, where students argued on both sides, on the topic “Resolved: The United States Federal Government should substantially increase prohibitions on anticompetitive business practices by the private sector by at least expanding the scope of its core antitrust laws”. Followed by a single elimination tournament where the top thirteen Open, top seven Junior Varsity, and top five Novice teams advanced based on the results from the preliminary rounds.
The Novice division showcased competitors with little to no experience in debate and cleared to a partial Quarterfinal featuring teams from Indiana University, the United States Naval Academy, the University of Miami, and the University of Minnesota. The Final Round saw a 2-1 victory for second seeded Mollie Blank & Leah Castaneda from Miami over top seeded Malea Floyd & Zane Kierzyk from Indiana. In addition to being the runner-up Malea Floyd from Indiana was recognized as the Top Speaker of the Division.
The Junior Varsity division showcased competitors with limited experience in debate and also cleared to a partial Quarterfinal featuring teams from Boston College, Indiana University, Purdue University, Samford University, the New School, and Wichita State University. The Final Round saw a 2-1 victory for second seeded Hattie Hoham & Anekah Fish from Indiana over top seeded Grace Blackwell & TJ Riggs from Samford. In addition to being the runner-up TJ Riggs from Samford was recognized as the Top Speaker of the Division.
The Open division is the highest level of competition in CEDA debate and also cleared to a partial Octafinal featuring teams from Columbia University, Michigan State University, University of Iowa, University of Kansas, University of Minnesota, University of Southern California, University of Texas – Dallas, Wake Forest University, Washington University in St. Louis, Wayne State University, and Wichita State University. Subbi Namakula from Iowa was recognized as the Top Speaker of the Division.
The tournament marked the sixth weekend of the competitive season and provided a total of over twenty-three thousand minutes of speaking time for undergraduate students. Students engaged in a minimum of three debates in favor of the resolution and three opposed, requiring them to test their hours of research and preparation on both sides of the topic. The format enables students to build skills in critical thinking, communication, collaboration, and creativity.
About CEDA
Cross Examination Debate Association was founded in 1971. CEDA is currently responsible for formulating the annual intercollegiate policy debate topic used in tournament competition throughout the nation. Throughout the season, CEDA calculates National Sweepstakes Standings, the national and regional rankings of member institutions based on compiled tournament results.