The University of Michigan Intercollegiate Debating Team was one of the nation's first intercollegiate forensics teams, founded in 1890. From that time until today the Debating Team has excelled in teaching critical thinking skills and persuasive communication techniques. In the past ten years the U of M Debating Team has been ranked the number one squad in the nation three times, reached the final round of the National Debate Tournament two other times, and won the 1993 NDT Top Speaker Award.
Debate at Michigan is an effective means to the end of academic success. This is proven by the fact that debaters who have graduated from the University of Michigan have consistently gone on to succeed at the nation's most prestigious law and graduate programs at Harvard, Yale, Stanford, Chicago, Columbia, Berkeley, Georgetown, Wisconsin, NYU, Texas, and Michigan. In addition, the current under-secretary for Defense, Middle-East is both a Michigan debate alum and a former Michigan Debate coach.
Who is the Director of Michigan Debate?
Aaron Kall, BA Communications and Minor in Political Science, University of Kentucky
Coach of the Finalists and Fifth Speaker at the 2002 National Debate Tournament and Semifinalists at the 2008 National Debate Tournament. Coach of three First-Round At Large Bids to the National Debate Tournament. Coach of the Semifinalists at the University of Kentucky and University of Southern California Tournaments. Quarterfinalist at the 2001 Cross Examination Debate Association National Tournament. Formerly coached at the University of Kentucky and worked at the Kentucky National Debate Institute. You can reach Aaron at akall@umich.edu.
Who are the Assistant Coaches of Michigan Debate?
Whit Whitmore
Semifinalist at the American Debate Association National Tournament, Winner of the University of Alabama Crimson Classic, and Finalist at the Delta Sigma Rho/Tau Kappa Alpha National Tournament. Whit has coached for the past five years at the high school and college level. In the past, Whit has worked for Mercer University, the University of Alabama, and Piedmont College. You can reach him at whit211@gmail.com.
The Team
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Hannah Almeter, First Year
Hannah Almeter debated for three years at Groves High School and plans on majoring in International Studies. Feel free to contact her at hannah.almeter@gmail.com. |
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Michael Bloom, First Year
Michael Bloom debated for four years at Iowa City High School in Iowa City, IA. He is a freshman political science major. Feel free to contact him at mrbloom@umich.edu. |
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Parker Cronin, Second Year
Parker Cronin debated for four years at Centerville High School in Centerville, Ohio. He plans on majoring in philosophy/anthropology. Feel free to contact him at ishkabible@gmail.com. |
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Kyle Deming, First Year
Kyle Deming debated for four years at St. John's High School of Shrewsbury, MA. He plans on majoring in political science and history. Contact him at kyle.deming@comcast.net |
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Aakash Gupta, Second Year
Aakash Gupta debated four years for Portage Northern High School in Portage, Michigan. He plans on majoring in English. Feel free to contact him at aakashg@umich.edu. |
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Mimi Karabulut, First Year
Mimi Karabulut debated at Groves High School for three years. She plans on majoring in Spanish and political science. Feel free to contact her at miraybk@umich.edu. |
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Maria Liu, Second Year
Maria Liu is from Okemos, Michigan and debated for 3 years at Okemos High School. She is currently a sophomore and plans on double majoring in Psychology and International Studies-International Security, Norms and Cooperation, in the College of Literature, Science and the Arts. Feel free to contact her at maria.c.liu@gmail.com. |
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Lee Reed, Second Year
Lee Reed debated at Walter Payton Prep HS in Chicago Ill. He is currently majoring in Engineering. Feel free to contact him at leereed@umich.edu. |
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Lina Rudashevski, Third Year
Lina Rudashevski is a junior doing a dual degree with business and political science. Feel free to contact her at lina.rudashevski@gmail.com. |
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Bala Sekaran, Second Year
Bala Sekaran debated for Novi High School for four years. He is a sophomore at the University of Michigan, studying political science and economics. Feel free to contact him sekarankc@gmail.com. |
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Omega Skeean, Second Year
Omega Skeean debated for three years at Dexter High School in Dexter, Michigan. She plans on majoring in linguistics and philosophy. Email: skomega@umich.edu |
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Matt "The Game" Sienkiewicz, Second Year
Matt Sienkiewicz. LSA- potentially History/Economics. Feel free to contact him at mssienk@umich.edu. |
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Edmund Zagorin, Fourth Year
Edmund Zagorin debated at Georgetown Day School in Washington, D.C. for 4 years. Feel free to contact him at alpaca@umich.edu. |
2009-2010 Michigan Debate Team Success:
Georgia State University - Cronin/Gupta were 5-2 and 17th seed, breaking to the double-octofinal elimination round.
University of Kentucky - Liu/Zagorin were 6-1, 10th Seed, and advanced to the octofinals.
Wayne State University - Reed/Rudashevski were 6-2, 5th seed, and advanced to semifinals.
Wake Forest University - Liu/Zagorin were 4-2 and 29th seed, breaking to the double octofinals.
John Carroll University - Deming/Sekaran were 5-1, top seed, and won the tournament.
Here's just a partial list of the success our team has had in the past:
NDT First Round Bids:
1987 -- Denise Losbough and Jim Speta, 13th bid1988 -- Mike Green and Andrew Schrank, 3rd bid
1989 -- Andrew Schrank and Joe Thompson, 3rd bid
1989 -- David Brownell and Denise Loshbough, 5th bid
1991 -- Colin Kahl and Matt Shors, 3rd bid
1993 -- Jenni Ouding and Matt Shors, 9th bid
1995 -- Mike Dickler and Scott Hessell, 14th bid
1996 -- Mike Dickler and Scott Hessell, 4th bid
1997 -- Scott Hessell and Corey Stoughton, 1st bid
1998 -- Corey Stoughton and Lesley Wexler, 3rd bid
1999 -- Jason Hernandez and Kelly Steele, 8th bid
1999 -- Chris Pudelski and Gabe Scannapieco, 12th bid
2000 -- Chris Pudelski and Gabe Scannapieco, 7th bid
2001 -- Adriana Midence and Carl Sammartino, 13th bid
2003 -- Jonah Feldman and John Oden, 10th bid
2008 -- Adam Farra and Dylan Keenan, 8th bid
NDT Elimination Teams:
1971, Bill Davey and Neil Wolf, Quarterfinals
1972, Mike Hartmann and Bill Black, Quarterfinals
1987, Denise Losbough and Jim Speta, Octafinals
1987, Mike Green and Andrew Schrank, Octafinals
1988, Mike Green and Andrew Schrank, Semifinals
1988, Denise Losbough and Jim Speta, Quarterfinals
1989, Joe Thompson and Andrew Schrank, Finals
1989, David Brownell and Denise Losbough, Quarterfinals
1990, Colin Kahl and Matt Shors, Octafinals
1991, Colin Kahl and Matt Shors, Finals
1992, Colin Kahl and Matt Shors, Quarterfinals
1993, Jenni Ouding and Matt Shors, Octafinals
1993, Gorav Jindal and Raj Shah, Double Octafinals
1994, Gorav Jindal and Raj Shah, Double Octafinals
1995, Mike Dickler and Scott Hessell, Octafinals
1996, Mike Dickler and Scott Hessell, Semifinals
1996, Corey Stoughton and Matt Rice, Double Octafinals
1997, Scott Hessell and Corey Stoughton, Semifinals
1997, Jason Hernandez and Tony Nicalo, Octafinals
1997, Ellen Oberwetter and Lesley Wexler, Double Octafinals
1998, Corey Stoughton and Lesley Wexler, Semifinals
1999, Jason Hernandez and Kelly Steele, Octafinals
1999, Chris Pudelski and Gabe Scannapieco, Octafinals
2000, Adriana Midence and Carl Samartino, Double Octafinals
2000, Chris Pudelski and Gabe Scannapieco, Double Octafinals
2001, Adriana Midence and Carl Sammartino, Quarterfinals
2002, Adriana Midence and Shaun VanHorn, Double Octafinals
2002, Jonah Feldman and John Oden, Octafinals
2003, Jonah Feldman and John Oden,Octafinals
2007, Adam Farra and Dylan Keenan, Double Octafinals
2008, Adam Farra and Dylan Keenan, Semifinals
2009, Edmund Zagorin and Maria Liu, Double Octafinals
NDT Speaker Awards:
1988 -- Mike Green, 5th1988 -- Andrew Schrank, 6th
1989 -- Joe Thompson, 5th
1989 -- Andrew Schrank, 7th
1991 -- Colin Kahl, 4th
1992 -- Matt Shors, 6th
1993 -- Matt Shors, 1st
1996 -- Mike Dickler, 6th
1996 -- Scott Hessell, 4th
1997 -- Scott Hessell, 2nd
1997 -- Corey Stoughton, 8th
1997 -- Lesley Wexler, 10th
1998 -- Corey Stoughton, 5th
1998 -- Lesley Wexler, 3rd
1999 -- Jason Hernandez, 12th
2000 -- Gabe Scannapieco, 17th
2002 -- Adriana Midence, 2nd
2003 -- Jonah Feldman, 11th
2008- Dylan Keenan, 13th
Other Tournament Successes for Michigan Debate:
Augustana Round Robin Champions
ADA National Champions
Baylor Champions
Capital City Champions
Dartmouth College Champions
Dartmouth Round Robin Champions
John Carroll University Champions
Kentucky Champions
Kentucky Round Robin Champions
Harvard University Champions
Miami (OH) Champions
Northern Iowa Champions
Northwestern Champions
USC Champions
Wake Forest University Champions
Wayne State Champions
