Morgantown, WV – (March 21, 2022) West Virginia University hosted their annual JV/Novice Nationals debate tournament on the weekend of March 11-13. The tournament provided an opportunity for seventy-four competitors from eight states the opportunity to compete in two divisions of debate.
The tournament 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 seven Junior Varsity, and top eleven Novice teams advanced based on the results from the preliminary rounds.
The Novice division showcased competitors with little to no experience in debate and held a partial Octafinal round featuring teams from George Mason University, James Madison University, Liberty University, New York University, the New School, the University of Houston, and West Virginia University. The Final Round saw second seeded Adonis Ortiz & Eric Pelletier from James Madison University defeat fourth seeded Jenna Goodrich & Alice Nguyen from Houston on a 2-1 decision. Abby Harlow from James Madison was recognized as the Top Speaker of the division.
The Junior Varsity division showcased competitors with limited experience in debate and cleared to a partial Quarterfinal round featuring teams from James Madison University, Liberty University, Macalester College, Oakton Community College, the University of Houston, and the University of Minnesota. The Final Round saw top seeded Brett Cryan & Tuyen Le lockout with their third seeded teammates Rex Kidd & Christine Le from Houston. In addition to being crowned the tournament Champion Brett Cryan from Houston was recognized as the Top Speaker of the division.
The tournament marked the eighth weekend of the Spring competitive season and provided more than eight 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.
