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 Debate Team has excelled in teaching critical thinking skills and persuasive communication techniques. In the past ten years the UM Debate 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, reached the Semifinals of the NDT five times, won the 1993 NDT Top Speaker Award, and won the Second Speaker Award at the NDT in 1997 and 2002.
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. The current Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for the Middle East is a former UM debater and coach, in addition to the former President of the American Bar Association and Campaign Spokesman for Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid.
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. 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 You can reach Aaron at akall@umich.edu.
Who is the Assistant Director of Michigan Debate?
David Heidt, BA at Emory University
Winner of the 1996 National Debate Tournament. David coached the winner of two National Debate Tournaments and two CEDA National Debate Tournaments. He has helped coach three Tournament of Champions winners and one finalist. David helped coach the Top Speaker at the TOC and second speaker twice. He has worked at the Michigan Debate Institutes for sixteenth summers. You can reach David at davheidt@umich.edu.
Who are the Assistant Coaches of Michigan Debate?
Josh Clark
Josh is the former Director of Debate at Notre Dame High School, where he coached the 2009 University of California at Berkeley Champions. In 2008-2009, his teams reached the elimination rounds at The Tournament of Champions, Montgomery Bell Academy, The Glenbrooks, Stanford, the University of Southern California, Greenhill, St. Mark's, La Costa Canyon, and Fullerton. Josh's teams at Juan Diego have reached the elimination rounds at Greenhill, USC, Meadows, Long Beach, Arizona State University, Berkeley, Stanford, and Alta. He was a Quarterfinalist at the National Debate Tournament and Semifinalist at the Cross Examination Debate Association National Tournament. Josh helped coach the University of Michigan to the Semifinals of the 2008 National Debate Tournament. He is a former assistant debate coach at Damien High School. You can reach Josh at joshcl@umich.edu.
Nick Miller
Nick spent the past year as a coach for Emory University's first place Copeland Award winning squad. As a debater at Emory University, Nick won first round at-large bids to the National Debate Tournament for three consecutive years. He consistently reached the late elimination rounds at major national tournaments, including victories at Northwestern and the American Debate Association National Championship. As a high school debater at Kinkaid, Nick won the Barkley Forum, St. Marks, and Texas State Championship tournaments. You can reach nick at nwmiller@umich.edu.
Jason Peterson
Jason was the recipient of the 2009 Acolyte Award, given to the top assistant coach in high school debate. As an assistant coach at St. Mark's, Jason's teams have reached the finals of the Tournament of Champions, won The Glenbrooks, New Trier and Grapevine, and were in the finals of The Barkley Forum, Greenhill, and the University of Texas. He was previously the Director of Debate at Notre Dame High School, where he coached a team to the Quarterfinals of the Tournament of Champions. As a debater at Pace University, he reached the Quarterfinals of the National Debate Tournament. You can reach Jason at jasonmpe@umich.edu.
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 wbwhit@umich.edu.
The Team
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Hannah Almeter, Second 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, Second Year
Michael Bloom debated for four years at Iowa City High School in Iowa City, IA. He is a political science and history major. Feel free to contact him at mrbloom@umich.edu. |
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Parker Cronin, Third Year
Parker Cronin debated for four years at Centerville High School in Centerville, Ohio. He plans on majoring in history and cultural anthropology. Feel free to contact him at ishkabible@gmail.com. |
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Kyle Deming, Second 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. Feel free to contact him at kyle.deming7@gmail.com . |
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Akum Gill, First Year
Akum Gill debated for four years at The Harker School in San Jose, California. He plans on majoring in Engineering. Feel free to contact him at akumgill@umich.edu. |
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Mimi Karabulut, Second 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, Third Year
Maria Liu is from Okemos, Michigan and debated for 3 years at Okemos High School. She is currently a junior and is a Public Policy major with an intended focus on International Security and Cooperation in the Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy. Feel free to contact her at maria.c.liu@gmail.com. |
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Yaoyao Liu, First Year
YaoYao Liu debated for three years at Pioneer High School in Ann Arbor, Michigan. She plans on majoring in political science. Feel free to contact her at mengyao@umich.edu. |
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Lee Reed, Third Year
Lee Reed debated at Walter Payton Prep HS in Chicago, IL. He is currently majoring in Engineering. Feel free to contact him at leereed@umich.edu. |
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Lina Rudashevski, Fourth Year
Lina Rudashevski is doing a dual degree in business and political science. Feel free to contact her at lina.rudashevski@gmail.com. |
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David Seidman, First Year
David Seidman debated for four years at the Bronx High School of Science in New York City. He plans on majoring in International Studies. Feel free to contact him at davseid@umich.edu. |
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Bala Sekaran, Third Year
Bala Sekaran debated for Novi High School for four years. He is studying political science and economics. Feel free to contact him sekarankc@gmail.com. |
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Omega Skeean, Third Year
Omega Skeean debated for three years at Dexter High School in Dexter, Michigan. She plans on majoring in Women's Studies. Email: skomega@umich.edu |
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Matt Sienkiewicz, Third Year
Matt Sienkiewicz debated at Seaholm High School (MI). He plans on majoring in History and Economics. Feel free to contact him at mssienk@umich.edu. |
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Colin Ward, First Year
Colin Ward, Debated 4 years at Oakwood High School in Ohio, He is a freshman majoring in Engineering. Feel free to contact him at warden@umich.edu. |
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Edmund Zagorin, Fifth Year
Edmund Zagorin debated at Georgetown Day School in Washington, D.C. for 4 years. He is majoring in Philosophy along with International Affairs and Public Policy. Feel free to contact him at alpaca@umich.edu. |
2010-2011 Michigan Debate Team Success:
Georgia State University - Maria Liu/Edmund Zagorin reached the Octafinals; Zagorin was Seventh Speaker
University of Kentucky Round Robin - Liu/Zagorin won Third Place.
Northwestern University - Liu/Zagorin reached the Octafinals; Kyle Deming/Bala Sekaran went 5-3, but missed on speaker points; Zagorin was Seventeenth Speaker
Harvard University - Liu/Zagorin reached the Quarterfinals; Zagorin was Seventh Speaker
Wayne State University - Lee Reed and Lina Rudashevski won Second Place; Akum Gill/Omega Skeean and Yaoyao Liu/Colin Ward reached the Octafinals; Reed was Top Speaker
Wake Forest University - Liu/Zagorin reached the Quarterfinals; Zagorin was Seventh Speaker
Appalachian State University - Akum Gill/David Seidman won Third Place; Michael Bloom/Omega Skeean reached the Quarterfinals; Liu/Ward reached the Octafinals
John Carroll University - Gill/Seidman and Deming/Rudashevski reached the quarterfinals; Seidman was Ninth Speaker
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
2010, 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
Past 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
