The PLNU debate team sent two small squads out to Irvine Valley College and to Palomar College, and those attending did well, as the results below will reflect. In fact, with only two debaters, PLNU managed to win Second Place Debate Sweepstakes at the Palomar Tournament hosted at Grossmont College.
The entire debate team though competed at the Grossmont Tournament, along with the members of the PLNU Argumentation and Debate class, most of whom had never even seen a tournament before. The IPDA debaters from the team entering just one event each, won Third Place Sweepstakes for Individual Events against programs with much larger entries. And the class and team combined to win First Place Sweepstakes in Debate, and First Place Overall Sweepstakes for the combined tournaments. Special thanks to our coaches and alumni who put in long hours of coaching, prepping and judging.
Special congratulations to the members of the COM 2031 Argumentation and Debate class for an outstanding showing with mostly brand new beginners at their first such tournament. It takes bravery for beginners to jump into this argumentative arena, and lots of hard work and talent for them to do so well. All the class teams won rounds, and most came within close tie breakers of advancing to elimination rounds, not to mention those that excelled and earned actual medals.
November 23-24, 2019 – Griffin Invitational – Grossmont College
Open IPDA LD Debate Format:
PLNU advanced 9 of the 16 teams competing in Octafinals.
- Olivia Owen (4/0 in prelims) - Gold Medalist
- Nathaniel Hosmer (3-1) - Gold Medalist
- Logan Kolssak (3-1 in prelims) - Silver Medalist
- James Shotwell (3-1 in prelims) - Silver Medalist
- Corrina Willard (3-1 in prelims) - Silver Medalist
- James Laky (Walkover in Quarters) (3-1 in prelims) - Gold Medalist
- Zeshan Monks-Hussain (Walkover in Quarters) (2-2 in prelims) - Bronze Medalist
- Brianna Hosmer (3-1 in prelims) - Bronze Medalist
- Caleb Klubben (2-2 in prelims) - Silver Medalist
Novice IPDA LD:
- Sam Chang (3-1 in Prelims) - Bronze Medalist
- Hannah Wald (2-2 in Prelims) - Bronze Medalist
NPDA Senior Debate:
- Nathaniel Hosmer and Sam Jones (4-0 in prelims) - Gold Medalist plus two - Champions
- James Laky and Hannah Nelson (4-0 in prelims) - Gold Medalist plus one - Co-Champions
- Nathaniel Arroyave and Olivia Owen (2-2 in prelims) - Gold Medalist - Co-Champions
- James Shotwell and Corrina Willard (3-1 in prelims) - Bronze Medalist
NPDA Junior Debate:
- Sarah LeGrande and Hannah Wald (4-0 in prelims)
NPDA Novice Debate:
- Alex Carr and Dawson Wise (3-1 in prelims) - Silver Medalists
- Talia Bostic and Brianna Seidler (3-1 in prelims) - Silver Medalists
- Ali Bell and Paris Swett (3-1 in prelims) - Silver Medalists
- Alyssa Hamon and Mitchel Schwenkmeyer (2-2) - Bronze Medalists
Speaker Awards:
- Nathaniel Hosmer - 3rd Place Speaker Open Division
- James Laky - 6th Place Speaker Open Division
- Sam Jones - 8th Place Speaker Open Division
- Dawson Wise - 4th Place Speaker Novice Division
November 22, 2019 – Ray Dahlin Invitational – Palomar College
PLNU won 2nd Place Debate Sweepstakes with only two debaters.
Open IPDA Debate Format Champion:
- Brianna Hosmer Wins the Gold (Undefeated and Third Place Speaker)
Novice IPDA Debate Format Division:
- Hannah Wald - Top Novice Speaker
November 15, 2019 – Rybold Classic – Irvine Valley College
Junior Parliamentary Debate Format (NPDA Format):
- Alex Tseng & Hannah Wald - Quarter Finalists
- Sam Chang & Brianna Hosmer
Speaker Awards:
- 4th Speaker - Alex Tseng
- 9th Speaker - Hannah Wald
October 26-27, 2019 – Golden Gate Invitational – UC Berkeley
We sent three teams up to Berkeley to compete in a large competitive National Circuit debate tournament with many out of state competitors. Unfortunately, PG&E cut the power to Berkeley's campus, and the tournament moved to St Mary’s instead and changed some scheduling around to make it work.
Our three teams combined earned Third Place Sweepstake in debate, and the team of Sam Jones and Alex Tseng advanced to the Octa Finals. The teams of Corrina Willard & James Shotwell, and James Laky and Hannah Nelson missed advancing to the elimination rounds by one win in preliminary rounds, but contributed to the team’s combined Sweepstakes victory.
October 19, 2019 – Crossman Invitational – El Camino College, Fontana
PLNU Debaters rolled out of campus shortly after 5 a.m. and did not return to their dorms until after midnight from the Crossman Invitational Debate Tournament at El Camino College. But it was a happy return bus ride as three of our Senior level teams ended up winning the tournament, tying as Co-Champions, after advancing to partial Octa Finals and three rounds beyond (Quarters, Semis and Finals). Each of our three other teams were just one win away from advancing to elimination rounds as well.
Over 20 colleges and universities competed from throughout California, including many top community colleges and Cal Berkeley, Westmont, CSULA, UCSD, Concordia Irvine, SDSU, etc. For this tournament PLNU just attended one of the days of the tournament in this one event, with 6 teams.
Below we have listed the award winning PLNU teams and speakers. Special thanks to Adjunct Professors Jonathan Veal and Olivia Neidhardt and Assistant Director Julia Shotwell for their coaching and judging at this event.
Open Division NPDA Parli Teams - Three way tie for First Place!
- Sam Jones and Nathanial Hosmer: Co-Champions
- James Shotwell and Corinna Willard: Co-Champions
- Zeshan Monks-Hussain and Alex Tseng: Co-Champions
All three PLNU Senior Teams cleared to Octas and did not lose in elimination rounds.
Senior NPDA Parli Top Speakers:
- Nathanial Hosmer - Top Speaker
- James Shotwell - Fourth Speaker
- Logan Kolssak - Eighth Speaker
- Zeshan Monks-Hussain - 17th Speaker
- Corinna Willard - 18th Speaker
Junior NPDA Parli Top Speakers:
- Brianna Hosmer - Tenth Speaker
- Sam Chang - 13th Speaker