MSU Debate reaches nationals for 27th consecutive year

Michigan State University Debate has qualified three teams to the 77th annual National Debate Tournament. MSU has a history of success at the event — the team has qualified 27 consecutive years and has won the tournament three times.

The MSU Debate competitors who will be competing at the National Debate Tournament (from left to right): Ephraim Bennett, David Koster, Joanna Gusis, Tony Miklovis, Piper Meloche and Nate Glancy

Nate Glancy, an economics senior, and Piper Meloche, a social relations and policy senior in the Honors College, qualified as the top-seeded team after the regional qualifying tournament.

To qualify as the first team out of the regional tournament, Glancy and Meloche went undefeated with wins over Purdue University and Indiana University.

Joanna Gusis, a James Madison College freshman in the Honors College, and Tony Miklovis, a James Madison College sophomore in the Honors College, qualified as the second-seeded team after wins over Northwestern University and Indiana University.

This was the third straight year that MSU clinched the top two qualification spots out of the regional qualifying tournament.

Ephraim Bennett, a computer science sophomore, and David Koster, a political science junior in the Honors College, were seeded third at the district qualifying tournament but each school is only allowed to qualify two teams at districts.

“Districts was obviously an extremely strong finish by MSU Debate,” said Will Repko, MSU Debate Head Coach. “Having our teams go one, two, three in the top spots is as well as you can do.”

Only 78 teams nationally qualify to attend the NDT each year out of hundreds of teams that participate in regional qualifying tournaments. MSU Debate’s regional district includes the University of Michigan, Northwestern University, Purdue University, Indiana University and Wayne State University.

Third teams from a school need to be ranked as one of the top six third teams nationally in order to qualify for the NDT. Based on their season-long success, it was announced that Bennett and Koster qualified.

“MSU has qualified three teams in three of the last five National Debate Tournaments. It’s a testament to the depth of the team and how strong their seasons have been,” said Repko.

The NDT will be hosted by Wake Forest University in Chantilly, Virginia the last week of March.

The MSU Debate Team is part of the Honors College.

This story originally appeared on the MSU Debate website.