A Shared Victory

Following years of dedication and effort, Washburn University’s debate team clinched the national championship at last spring’s National Forensic Association Lincoln-Douglas Debate Championships, hosted by Central Michigan University. Leading the charge was Cade Blenden, who not only emerged as the tournament champion but also earned top speaker honors.

At the event, Washburn advanced eight debaters to the top 32 finals bracket and secured the tournament sweepstakes. To succeed, the team tackled the challenging topic of reducing the U.S. federal government’s nuclear weapons policy, which required a depth of knowledge and strategic acumen. This long-awaited achievement carries immense significance for Washburn and underscores the exceptional skill of Washburn’s debaters.

Journey to the Championship

Although this marked the first-ever NFA national championship for Washburn, the team has come close to winning in the past. They took second place the year before and should have been ranked as high contenders going into the competition. Yet, the season leading up to the win was filled with challenges that tested the resolve of the team, making the championship seem out of reach.

“Early in the year, we faced skepticism from critics,” Blenden said, adding that they were excluded from top rankings.

Additionally, the team was disappointed at a January tournament when debaters who made it to elimination rounds were all defeated early in the competition. Instead of succumbing to the pressure, the team and their coaches hunkered down, committing to rigorous practice and strategic refinement. In fact, students met regularly for six weeks leading up to the tournament with debate coaches Shree Awsare, Aly Fiebrantz, ba ’11, Matt Parnell, ba ’18, and Jenna Gorton, ba ’23, to “argument treat” their cases.

According to Kevin O’Leary, director of debate and senior lecturer of communications studies, their dedication paid off – transforming doubts and low expectations into a triumphant achievement.

“By preparing answers to every potential argument, we were able draw out what we wanted the tournament to look like. All the hard work was completed well before the tournament,” O’Leary said.

“We overcame quite a bit of adversity to get to the championship,” Blenden said. “It feels incredible to know all those late nights and endless practice sessions paid off.”

Head-to-head

The NFA national tournament is an intense, lengthy and high-stakes event that requires a different preparation and strategic approach compared to their regular season competitions. Unlike regular tournaments where debaters may have an hour break between rounds, the national competition is spread out over five days.

“I told the team after the first day, they don’t give out the national championship today, or tomorrow, or even Sunday – it’s going to happen on Monday,” O’Leary said.

Due to the longer cadence of the tournament, if debaters had a round off because they came up against a teammate or had a bye, they might have an entire day off before their next event.

“It changes the whole dynamic of how you prepare and evaluate these debates ahead of time, and it changes the stress you experience, too,” Blenden said.

Blenden came up against his Washburn teammate Andrew Rea in the round of 16. Instead of competing against each other when that happens, the higher seed advances to the next round. All the teammates agreed while it was tough to take the loss, knowing they got the win made up for it.

“You can’t complain when they win it all,” Rea said.

(Cade Blenden was tournament champion and top speaker.)

It Takes a Village

Invaluable support and mentorship from alumni played a crucial role in guiding the team to their championship success. Many former Washburn debaters returned to share their experiences, offering insights that made a significant impact on the current students’ preparation. Mentorship from alumni like Fiebrantz, Parnell, as well as Joy Bailes, ba ’00, ma ’21, were instrumental in guiding the team through the complexities of the arguments they faced during the tournament.

“Our alumni are awesome. They come by to offer their time coaching, and they show up to support us whatever city we’re at for tournaments. They just really care,” Blenden said.

For Stephen Doubledee, assistant director of debate and senior lecturer of communication studies, the success was a shared journey for everyone involved.

“They worked hard to get there, and everyone was part of this national championship,” Doubledee said. “From a coaching perspective, that’s what you want to see.”

Title Defense

As the debate team sets its sights on future tournaments, they are eager to harness their recent success as a springboard for future achievements.

“Winning this championship was more than just an individual achievement; it was a shared victory for our entire team – and that truly embodies the spirit of Washburn,” Blenden said.