Published on October 19, 2018 by Sean Flynt  
Debate 2018
Samford debaters with Ryan Galloway at the October tournament

The Samford University debate team of Moriah Windus and Sarah Emerson competed at the Mary Washington Debate Tournament in Fredericksburg, VA, in mid-October and finished in the final four. The duo defeated teams from Liberty University, Mary Washington University and the University of Minnesota before defeating a Liberty University team in the elite eight round to advance to the final four. Windus was named fourth speaker at the tournament and Emerson was named tenth speaker. 

“What is most impressive about this performance is that it took place in a different district,” said Ryan Galloway, Samford’s director of debate. “We had to compete against teams we are less familiar with in front of judges we are less familiar with. This proves Samford debate can succeed anywhere in the country,” he added.

The team of Alyssa Gregory and Kiarra Broadnax also competed at the tournament, defeating two teams from George Mason University. Max Willinger debated with a partner from Mary Washington University, and defeated a team from George Mason University.

 
Samford is a leading Christian university offering undergraduate programs grounded in the liberal arts with an array of nationally recognized graduate and professional schools. Founded in 1841, Samford is the 87th-oldest institution of higher learning in the United States. Samford enrolls 6,101 students from 45 states, Puerto Rico and 16 countries in its 10 academic schools: arts, arts and sciences, business, divinity, education, health professions, law, nursing, pharmacy and public health. Samford fields 17 athletic teams that compete in the tradition-rich Southern Conference and ranks 6th nationally for its Graduation Success Rate among all NCAA Division I schools.