Published on November 4, 2025  
Kate Alexander and Sarah Setzler
Kate Alexander and Sarah Setzler

Two Samford University debate teams from Howard College of Arts and Sciences competed online this weekend at the University of Oklahoma tournament, earning impressive results.

The novice team of Grace Dierking and Maddy Motz competed in their first college policy debate tournament and secured two major wins. The junior varsity team of Kate Alexander and Sarah Setzler advanced to the finals, finishing second after a close debate with Southern Nazarene University.

Alexander also received individual recognition, earning the fourth-place speaker award at the tournament.

“The team continues to show great progress,” said Derek Hilligoss, director of debate. “Sarah and Kate made great strides winning two elimination debates. Maddy and Grace also quickly picked up things each round and did amazing for their first ever tournament.”

The team’s next competition will be at Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

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Located in the Homewood suburb of Birmingham, Alabama, 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 enrolls 6,324 students from 44 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 is widely recognized as having one of the most beautiful campuses in America, featuring rolling hills, meticulously maintained grounds and Georgian-Colonial architecture. Samford fields 17 athletic teams that compete in the tradition-rich Southern Conference and ranks with the second-highest score in the nation for its 98% Graduation Success Rate among all NCAA Division I schools.