U-M debate program gets No. 1 ranking in polls

December 8, 2015
Contact:

ANN ARBOR—Two top finishes in recent tournaments has led the University of Michigan to its first No. 1 ranking in nearly 20 years.

Coaches from 10 intercollegiate debate teams nationwide ranked the top 25 teams, basing their selections on the results from all policy tournaments sanctioned or governed by the Cross Examination Debate Association and the National Debate Tournament.

Teams received 25 points for a first-place vote, 24 points for a second-place vote, descending in order to 1 point for 25th place. Coaches could rank their own teams for placeholder purposes, but that position was replaced with an average of rankings from other voters.

“After finishing second place at the National Debate Tournament for the last two years, it’s extremely gratifying to have the number one ranked debate team in the country, said program director Aaron Kall. “I hope the momentum of the top ranking and recent tournament wins propels Michigan Debate to a national championship in April.”

Kall said the team earned the top ranking after winning the last two major college debate tournaments last month: at Harvard University, which was the first win there since 1991; and at Wake Forest University, which was the first win there since 1996.

The coaches who voted in the poll came from these universities: Arizona State, Georgia, Harvard, Iowa, Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Puget Sound, Wake Forest and Weber State.

In addition to U-M, teams finishing in the top five, in order, were California-Berkeley, Harvard, Michigan State and Wake Forest.

Michigan Debate last finished a regular season No. 1 in 1996-97, as determined by a voting committee. They finished third at the National Debate Tournament that year.

The U-M Debate Program was founded in 1903, and the Debate Institute started in 1985. The program is now part of the Division of Student Life.

 

More information: