...on a Winning Streak!
Four tournaments, three outside of the Southeast region.
The Florida State University Debate Team has accrued an impressive record this semester. After traveling to four tournaments, including three outside of the Southeast region, FSU debaters are developing a reputation as a force to be reckoned with. Under the direction of Coach Matt Grindy, the team is mastering innovative argumentation on a debate topic about several controversial Supreme Court decisions.
The novice team of freshmen Renzo Cafferata and Matthew Rosenblum has a 16-2 win/loss record in preliminary debates of the last three tournaments. Cafferata and Rosenblum were undefeated in preliminary debate rounds at the Augustana College Tournament and the University of Florida Tournament. On the weekend of February 9-12, they competed at Binghamton University and defeated several high caliber teams, including Cornell University and Marist College. Rosenblum was deemed Top Speaker at both Augustana and UF, and Cafferata 4th Place Speaker at UF. In a decisive victory at the UF Tournament, Cafferata and Rosenblum beat Vanderbilt University on a unanimous 3-0 judging decision, and took 1st Place in Novice Division.
The performance of varsity debaters Kimberly Stewart and Sean Luechtefeld has also been impressive. After competing at the Northwestern University Debate Tournament in Chicago with roughly 200 of the best teams from around the country, Stewart and Luechtefeld returned to the Southeast and flexed their regional prowess at the University of Florida Tournament. They went 4-2 in preliminary debates and cleared to Varsity Semi-Finals, narrowly losing to the University of Georgia.
FSU debaters work countless hours researching the debate topic and preparing their arguments. As Coach Grindy noted, “Over the course of the season, they become experts in certain areas of study, whether it’s Critical Legal Studies or the works of Jean Baudrillard. It is exciting to see undergraduates tackling law reviews and academic journals in their free time as a means of generating a competitive edge. The pedagogical value of college policy debate is second-to-none.”
The FSU debaters and coaches are now busily preparing for the Districts Tournament at Georgia State University in Atlanta, February 23-25. This will be followed by the season finale: the national championship Cross-Examination Debate Association Tournament at the University of Oklahoma, March 22-26.
Participation with the FSU Debate Team is open to all undergraduate FSU students. Please contact Coach Matt Grindy at mag04m@fsu.edu for more details.