Success

As debate has evolved over the years, debate at Emory has become increasingly successful. By any measure, the Barkley Forum is one of the finest debate teams in the nation.

Participation. Over 100 Emory students participate in various Forum outreach and intercollegiate debate activities. Out of 40 tournament debaters, more than twenty-five participated in at least one varsity elimination round.

Academic Success. Boasting some of the finest academic records at Emory, debaters are regularly admitted into the finest graduate and professional schools in the nation.

Competitive Success. More than thirty-five different members of the Barkley Forum have won twenty national championships since 1995.

Community Service. The Barkley Forum for High Schools, the Emory National Debate Institute, the Atlanta Urban Debate League, coaching internships, public performance, and political debate commentary are all elements of a multi-faceted forensic and academic service organization.

Emory won its first national championship in 1967 when Susan Cahoon, Mark Frankel, Joe Longino, and Bill McDaniel combined to win the Delta Sigma Rho-Tau Kappa Alpha (DSR-TKA) national tournament. Since then, 51 Emory students have won thirty national team championships or individual champion speaker awards, including:

  • Six American Debate Association titles
  • Three National Debate Tournament titles
  • Two Cross Examination Debate Association titles
  • Three Copeland Award winners
  • Nine Novice/First-Year Nationals titles
  • Eight top speaker awards at these tournaments
Year Championship Debaters
2023 National Debate Tournament Eugenia Giampetruzzi (First Individual Speaker)
2022 National Debate Tournament Eugenia Giampetruzzi (First Individual Speaker)
2020 American Debate Association Eugenia Giampetruzzi and Zahir Shaikh
2017 American Debate Association Kristen Lowe and Viveth Karthikeyan
2011 Rex Copeland Award Stephen Weil and Ovais Inamullah
2011 Freshman Sophomore Nationals Megan Cambre and Matthew Pesce
2010 Rex Copeland Award Stephen Weil and Ovais Inamullah
2010 National Debate Tournament Stephen Weil (First Individual Speaker)
2008 American Debate Association Nick Miller and Chipp Schwab
2007 National Debate Tournament Aimi Hamraie and Julie Hoehn
2004 Cross Examination Debate Association Michael Beckley and Henry Liu
2004 American Debate Association Mike Greenstein and Vicki Palomo
2002 American Debate Association Rania Nasreddine and Scott Phillips
2002 Cross Examination Debate Association John Rains (First Individual Speaker)
2001 Novice Nationals Michael Beckley and Henry Liu
2000 National Debate Tournament Mike Horowitz and Jon Paul Lupo
1999 Cross Examination Debate Association George Kouros (First Individual Speaker)
1999 Novice Nationals John Rains and Kurt Kastorf
1998 Rex Copeland Award George Kouros and Anjan Sahni
1998 Cross Examination Debate Association Dan Fitzmeier, Stephen Heidt, Vic Tabak and Anne Marie Todd (closed out final round)
1998 Novice Nationals Stephen Bailey, Kamal Ghali, David Harkin and Joey Tavery
1998 American Debate Association Kenya Hansford and Anjan Sahni
1997 Novice Nationals Larry Heftman and Jeff McNabb
1996 National Debate Tournament David Heidt and Kate Shuster
1995 Novice Nationals Dan Fitzmeier and Anjan Sahni
1993 Delta Sigma Rho-Tau Kappa Alpha Mark Kelsey (First Individual Speaker)
1992 Delta Sigma Rho-Tau Kappa Alpha Chris Kellner and Micah Kessler
1990 Cross Examination Debate Association Jeff Smith (First Individual Speaker)
1986 Novice Nationals Frank Lowrey and Bryant McFall
1982 Novice Nationals Scott Segal and Mike Weiss
1980 Novice Nationals Bill Brewster and Reggie Smith
1967 Delta Sigma Rho-Tau Kappa Alpha Susan Cahoon, Mark Frankel, Joe Longino and Bill McDaniel

The National Debate Tournament

The United States Military Academy hosted the first National Debate Tournament (NDT) immediately after World War II ended. The first tournament featured 29 teams invited at the suggestion of various debate coaches contacted by the cadets at West Point. Now the tournament has over 70 teams who qualify through an elaborate procedure so that only the most skilled debaters even compete at the National Debate Tournament. Rich in tradition, every round at the NDT is still judged by three-judge panels, the preliminary rounds are still announced orally by the tournament director, and it remains among the most prestigious tournament events of the debate season.

Emory University has fared well at the NDT, the name appearing in numerous parts of the record book. Since 1996, ten different debaters have represented Emory in the final round of the tournament, capturing the title three times. The number of teams Emory has qualified to the NDT demonstrates the historical strength of the program.  Since the NDT was opened to second teams from the same school in 1970, Emory has qualified multiple teams 41 times and is tied for the record for the longest consecutive streak of sending multiple teams with Northwestern at 39 years.  In 1993, third teams from the same school were allowed, and Emory has qualified three teams 26 times out of 28 years, and particularly impressive is the fact that all three of those teams have cleared 11 times.  Emory debaters have reached the quarterfinals ten times, the semifinals four times, and the finals six times. The appearance of so many teams in the elimination rounds of the National Debate Tournament is a demonstration of the highest effort and intellectual achievement of Emory students.

The individuals who have represented Emory University at the National Debate Tournament are:

Year Debaters Place
1965 Charles Clark and Larry Woods Octofinals
1966 Bill Boice and Larry Woods Quarterfinals
1967 Susan Cahoon and Joe Longino Octofinals
1968 Susan Cahoon and Joe Longino Quarterfinals
1969 Joe Newman and Richard Willard
1970 Robert S. Jones and Richard Garrett
1971 Nick Lotito and Tom Gallo Octofinals
1971 Bruce Albrecht and Melissa Maxcy
1972 Bruce Albrecht and Melissa Maxcy Octofinals
1972 Lilly Correa and Mike Kidwell
1977 David Klimchak and Joe Tankersley* Octofinals
1978 Kenny Schatten and Steven Smith
1981 Bill Brewster and Mike Hancock Octofinals
1982 Bill Brewster and Mike Hancock*
1982 Dan Whitenack and Rich Robins
1983 Bill Brewster and Mike Hancock* Octofinals
1983 Lee Gregory and Rich Robins* Octofinals
1984 Bill Brewster and Rich Robins* (3rd place in season-long rankings) Quarterfinals
1984 Lee Gregory and Scott Segal Octofinals
1985 Doug Arney and Scott Segal* Octofinals
1985 Bill Russell and Michael Weiss
1986 Scott Segal and Michael Weiss* (5th place in season-long rankings) Octofinals
1986 Bill Russell and Maria Salterio Octofinals
1987 Frank Lowrey and Holly Raider Octofinals
1987 Drew Dowell and Kevin Hudson
1988 Frank Lowrey and Gus Puryear*
1988 Joe Bellon and Drew Dowell Octofinals
1989 Frank Lowrey and Gus Puryear* Semifinals
1989 Joe Bellon and Drew Dowell Doubles
1990 Jason Bergman and Jeffrey Richardson*
1990 Jim Archibald and Darren Summerville* Octofinals
1991 Jeffrey Richardson and Darren Summerville* Quarterfinals
1991 Greg Blankinship and Paul Lackey Octofinals
1992 Greg Huber and Charlie Henn
1992 Mark Kelsey and Amy Johnson
1993 Charlie Henn and Jon Sharp Doubles
1993 David Heidt and Jamie McKown
1994 Charlie Henn and Jon Sharp* (3rd place in season-long rankings) Octofinals
1994 David Heidt and Jamie McKown Doubles
1994 Shannon Redmond and Kate Shuster Octofinals
1995 Charlie Henn and Jamie McKown* Doubles
1995 Dan Fitzmier and Anjan Sahni
1995 Ronna Landy and Kate Shuster
1996 David Heidt and Kate Shuster* Winner
1996 Ronna Landy and Anjan Sahni* Doubles
1996 Dan Fitzmier and Stephen Heidt
1997 Ronna Landy and Anjan Sahni* Quarterfinals
1997 Dan Fitzmier and Stephen Heidt* Quarterfinals
1997 Victor Tabak and Anne Marie Todd
1998 George Kouros and Anjan Sahni* (Copeland Award Winners) Finals
1998 Dan Fitzmier and Stephen Heidt* Octofinals
1998 Victor Tabak and Anne Marie Todd Octofinals
1999 Stephen Bailey and Kamal Ghali* (2nd place in season-long rankings) Finals
1999 Michael Horowitz and Jon Paul Lupo* (4th place in season-long rankings) Doubles
1999 Larry Heftman and Jeff McNabb Semifinals
2000 Stephen Bailey and Kamal Ghali* (2nd place in season-long rankings) Semifinals
2000 Larry Heftman and Jeff McNabb* (3rd place in season-long rankings) Octofinals
2000 Michael Horowitz and Jon Paul Lupo Winner
2001 Stephen Bailey and Kamal Ghali* (5th place in season-long rankings)     Finals
2001 Josh Lynn and John Rains* Octofinals
2001 Adam Goldstein and Joey Tavery
2002 John Rains and Kacey Wolmer* Octofinals
2002 Adam Goldstein and Josh Lynn* Doubles
2002 Mike Beckley and Henry Liu
2003 Josh Lynn and Scott Phillips* (2nd place in season-long rankings) Quarterfinals
2003 Mike Beckley and Henry Liu* Octofinals
2003 Michael Greenstein and Alexandra Rodu Doubles
2004 Scott Phillips and Kacey Wolmer* (3rd place in season-long rankings) Octofinals
2004 Mike Beckley and Henry Liu* Doubles
2004 Bob Allen and Michael Greenstein* Octofinals
2005 Stephen Chaudoin and Cyrus Ghavi* Doubles
2005 Michael Greenstein and Vicky Palomo* Octofinals
2005 Elise Borochoff and Roy Levkovitz
2006 Cyrus Ghavi and Scott Phillips* Semifinals
2006 Stephen Chaudoin and Roy Levkovitz* Doubles
2006 Aimi Hamraie and Julie Hoehn
2007 Aimi Hamraie and Julie Hoehn* Winnner
2007 Nick Miller and Pradeep Pramanick* Doubles
2007 Chip Schwab and Chris Sun Doubles
2008 Julie Hoehn and Stephen Weil* (2nd place in season-long rankings) Quarterfinals
2008 Nick Miller and Chip Schwab* Doubles
2008 Ana Nikolic and Chris Sun
2009 Nick Miller and Chip Schwab* (5th place in season-long rankings) Doubles
2009 Matthew Senghas and Stephen Weil* Octofinals
2009 Ovais Inmullah and Ana Nikolic Doubles
2010 Ovais Inamullah and Stephen Weil* (Copeland Award Winners) Quarterfinals
2010 Ana Nikolic and Megan Swenson Doubles
2010 Ross Gordon and Rajesh Jegadeesh Octofinals
2011 Ovail Inamullah and Stephen Weil* (Copeland Award Winners) Finals
2011 Kirk Gibson and Ana Nikolic Octofinals
2011 Elli Kuenzel and Megan Swenson
2012 Megan Cambre and Matthew Pesce Doubles
2012 John Holland and Fayzan Rab
2013 Matthew Pesce and Jason Sigalos* Octofinals
2013 Ben Dean and John Holland Doubles
2013 Megan Cambre and Julia Marshall
2014 Andrew Jones and Jason Sigalos Doubles
2014 Ben Dean and Brian Klarman
2014 Paula Cheng and Nate Sawyer
2015 Viveth Karthikeyan and Jason Sigalos* (5th place in season-long rankings) Octofinals
2015 Brian Klarman and Kristen Lowe Octofinals
2015 Nikhil Bontha and Ben Dean
2016 Viveth Karthikeyan and Jason Sigalos* (3rd place in season-long rankings) Octofinals
2016 Brian Klarman and Kristen Lowe* Doubles
2016 Saul Forman and Tanner Lewis Doubles
2017 Alex Gazmararian and Viveth Karthikeyan* Octofinals
2017 Saul Forman and Kristen Lowe* Doubles
2017 Mike Demers and Wendell Phillips
2018 Saul Forman and Alex Gazmararian* Doubles
2018 Zahir Shaikh and Gabi Yamout* Doubles
2018 Mike Demers and Wendell Phillips
2019 Alex Gazmararian and Zahir Shaikh* (4th place in season-long rankings) Quarterfinals
2019 Michael Cerny and Gabe Morbeck
2019 Liliana Burgess and Gabi Yamout
2020 Eugenia Giampetruzzi and Zahir Shaikh* (2nd place in season-long rankings) tournament cancelled
2020 Michael Cerny and Gabe Morbeck tournament cancelled
2020 Liliana Burgess and Maggie Wells tournament cancelled
2021 Eugenia Giampetruzzi and Grace Kessler* (3rd place in season-long rankings) Doubles
2021 Andrew Pak and Shreyas Rajagopal*
2021 Adrian Gushin and Henry Mitchell
2022 Eugenia Giampetruzzi and Grace Kessler* (3rd place in season-long rankings) Octofinals
2022 Andrew Pak and Shreyas Rajagopal Doubles
2022 Henry Mitchell and Margaret Hecht     Doubles
2022 Manny Navarrete and Jacob Palmer
2023 Eugenia Giampetruzzi and Grace Kessler* (2nd place in season-long rankings) Semifinals
2023 Henry Mitchell and Bella Piekut* Doubles
2023 Clara Conry and Serena Rupp            Doubles
*First-round at-large bid recipient

Cross Examination Debate Association National Championship

The Cross Examination Debate Association (CEDA) was formed in 1973. The organization did not sponsor a national championship tournament until 1985. This tournament, unlike the NDT, is an open national championship. The Barkley Forum has attended CEDA Nationals almost every year since the tournament began and has reached the semifinals three times and won the tournament twice. In the history of the tournament, more than sixty different Emory teams have competed in the elimination rounds. Eleven Emory teams have made it to the quarterfinals or better since 1993.

Year Place Debaters
2007 Quarterfinalists Aimi Hamraie and Julie Hoehn
2005 Quarterfinalists Michael Greenstein and Vicki Palomo
2004 Champions Michael Beckley and Henry Liu
2002 First speaker John Rains
2001 Finalists John Rains and Kacey Wolmer
1999 First speaker George Kouros
  Quarterfinalists Russ Falconer and George Kouros
1998 Co-Champions Dan Fitzmeier, Stephen Heidt, Vic Tabak and Anne Marie Todd
Quarterfinalists Michael Horowitz and Jon Paul Lupo
1997 Semifinalists Dan Fitzmeier and Nessa Horewitch
  Quarterfinalists Stephen Heidt and Shanara Reid
1993 Quarterfinalists Chris Kellner and Michah Kessler
1990 First speaker Jeff Smith