Debate-WVU
Politics

Two Monmouth Debate Teams Make it to Playoff Round at West Virginia University Mountaineer

West Long Branch, NJ –

Two Monmouth University Debate Teams made it into the playoff round at the West Virginia University (WVU) tournament from Nov. 14 – 16. Dan Roman and Victoria Borges competed in the experienced division, earning victories against teams from James Madison University, New York University and Liberty University and made their way into the playoff round before losing on a 2-1 vote to another team from New York University.

The experienced division includes debaters on debate scholarships. Victoria Borges won an 8th place individual speaking award in the experienced division at the tournament. Sana Rashid and Ryan Kelly also made it into the playoff round in the novice division after going 4-2 before losing in the playoff round to a team from Liberty University.

The tournament included approximately 100 teams of two debaters from 17 universities including Vanderbilt University, University of Washington, James Madison University, New York University, Boston College University of Miami and West Point Military Academy. Each year, a topic is picked to be debated throughout the season.

The topic for this year is “Resolved: The United States should legalize all or nearly all of one or more of the following: marihuana, online gambling, physician-assisted suicide, prostitution, the sale of human organs.” The Monmouth team created one case centering around human organ sales and another case focusing on prostitution.

Monmouth entered ten two person teams in the tournament, including: Dan Roman and Victoria Borges; Michelle Grushko and Saliha Younas; Sana Rashid and Ryan Kelly; Mike Kulik and Angela Ryan; Michael Hamilton and Samah Khalifa; Danielle Doud and Monica Santos; and Matt Toto and Mike Butkocy.

Six Monmouth debaters made their debating debut at this tournament including Ryan Henry and Victoria Garbutt, Nick Simonelli and Justin Okun, and Chris Summers and Katharine Dix. Monmouth alumni and former debaters Kelly Craig, Sam Maynard, Jessica Roberts and Dylan Maynard helped coach the teams and served as judges at the tournament.

The Monmouth Debate Hawks will host a tournament on campus from Jan. 30 – Feb. 1. Please contact Dr. Joseph Patten, Chair of the Political Science and Sociology Department and Debate Team Coach, at atjpatten@monmouth.edu if you are interested in learning more about the debate team. No debate experience is needed!

PHOTO COURTESY of Joseph Patten