By: Carly Watson
MSU Debate won the Front Royal Cup for the first time in program history last weekend at the American Debate Association (ADA) national tournament.
Zaria Jarman, a Political Theory and Constitutional Democracy junior, and Glen Scully, a computer science senior, placed first in the season-long rankings and Henry Martin, a physics and philosophy first-year student in the Honors College, and Isabella Foster, a philosophy and film first-year student in the Honors College, placed second in the rankings.
The Front Royal Cup recognizes the two-person teams with the strongest tournament results during the invitational season. The award is named for the site of the American Debate Association’s founding meeting in Front Royal, Virginia.
“This is the first time MSU has ever won the Front Royal Cup,” said Will Repko, MSU Debate Head Coach. “Glen and Zaria have had an amazing season so it’s not surprising, but it is exciting.”
Earlier this season, Jarman and Scully reached the quarterfinals (Elite Eight) of the Navy tournament and the octafinals (Sweet 16) of the Minnesota tournament. Scully also placed second in the junior varsity Front Royal Cup race in 2023.
MSU Debate’s previous best finish in the Front Royal Cup was last year when teams finished in second and third place in the race.
At the ADA national tournament, MSU Debate had three teams reach elimination round debates.
Foster and Martin reached the double octafinals (Round of 32) after wins over Baylor University, the University of Texas at Dallas, and George Mason University in preliminary debates.
Arielle Gearring, a Political Theory and Constitutional Democracy senior, and Hina Shehzad, an International Relations junior, reached the Sweet Sixteen as did Joanna Gusis, a Statistics and Political Theory and Constitutional Democracy senior in the Honors College, and Stephen Lewis, a Social Relations and Policy junior.
“The team has so much to be proud of from the ADA tournament,” said Repko. “To have such widespread success for the squad at a national championship demonstrates the depth of the team right now.”
The MSU Debate team is part of the Honors College.