The National Debate Tournament is an American inter-college debate competition, held annually since 1947. The Rex Copeland award, inaugurated in 1989 for the team with the best performance over the whole season, is presented on the same occasion.

National Debate Tournament champions Wake Forest University maintains a list of champions, runners-up, and semi-finalists. YearNational ChampionsSchool1947Scott Nobles & Gerald Sanders Southeastern State College1948Keith Parks & David Cotton North Texas State College (University of North Texas)1949Oscar Newton & Mitchell Latoff University of Alabama1950Richard O'Connell & Thomas Hayes University of Vermont1951James Q. Wilson & Holt Spicer University of Redlands1952James Q. Wilson & Holt Spicer University of Redlands1953Gerald Kogan & Lawrence Perlmutter University of Miami1954William Amold & Hubert Bell University of Kansas1955Dennis Holt & Elis Storey University of Alabama1956George Walker & James Murphy United States Military Academy1957Norman Lefstein & Phillip Hubbart Augustana College1958William Welsh & Richard Kirshberg Northwestern University1959William Welsh & Richard Kirshberg Northwestern University1960Anthony Roisman & Saul Baernstein Dartmouth College1961Laurence Tribe & Gene Clements Harvard University1962Dale Williams & Sarah Benson Ohio State University1963Fank Wohl & Stephen Kessler Dartmouth College1964Raoul Kennedy & Douglas Pipes University of the Pacific1965John Wittig & Barnett Pearce Carson-Newman College1966Bill Snyder & Mike Denger Northwestern University1967Tom Brewer & John Isaacson Dartmouth College1968Robert Shields & Lee Thompson Wichita State University1969Richard Lewis & Joel Perwin Harvard University1970Robert McCulloh & David Jeans University of Kansas1971Don Hornstein & Barrett McInerney University of California, Los Angeles1972Mike Clough & Mike Fernandez University of California, Santa Barbara1973Elliot Mincberg & Ron MarmerNorthwestern University1974Charles Garvin & Greg RosenbaumHarvard University1975Jay Hurst & David KentBaylor University1976Robin Rowland & Frank CrossUniversity of Kansas1977John Walker & David OttosonGeorgetown University1978Mark Cotham & Stuart H. SingerNorthwestern University1979Michael King & John BredehoftHarvard University1980Don Dripps & Tom FulkersonNorthwestern University1981Michael Alberty & Stephen MarzenUniversity of Pittsburgh1982Dave Sutherland & Dan SutherlandUniversity of Louisville1983Mark Gidley & Rodger PayneUniversity of Kansas1984Leonard Gail & Mark KoulogeorgeDartmouth College1985Jonathan Massey & Ed SwaineHarvard University1986David Brownell & Ouita PapkaUniversity of Kentucky1987Griffin Vincent & Lyn RobbinsBaylor University1988Shaun Martin & Robert D. WickDartmouth College1989Martin Loeber & Daniel PlantsBaylor University1990David Coale & Alex LennonHarvard University1991Roger Cole and Marc RubinsteinUniversity of Redlands1992Ahilan Arulanantham & Kevin KuswaGeorgetown University1993Ara Lovitt & Steven SklaverDartmouth College1994Sean McCaffity & Jody TerryNorthwestern University1995Sean McCaffity & Jody TerryNorthwestern University1996Kate Shuster & David HeidtEmory University1997Daveed Gartenstein-Ross & Brian PrestesWake Forest University1998Michael Gottlieb & Ryan SparacinoNorthwestern University1999Michael Gottlieb & Ryan SparacinoNorthwestern University2000Michael Horowitz & Jon Paul LupoEmory University2001Andy Peterson & Andy RyanUniversity of Iowa2002Jake Foster & Jonathan PaulNorthwestern University2003Geoff Garen & Tristan MoralesNorthwestern University2004Greta Stahl & Dave Strauss Michigan State University2005Tristan Morales & Josh BransonNorthwestern University2006Ryan Burke & Casey Harrigan Michigan State University2007Aimi Hamraie & Julie HoehnEmory University2008Seth Gannon & Alex Lamballe Wake Forest University2009Brett Bricker & Nate Johnson University of Kansas2010Carly Wunderlich & Eric Lanning Michigan State University2011Matt Fisher & Stephanie Spies Northwestern University2012Andrew Arsht & Andrew Markoff Georgetown University2013Elijah Smith & Ryan Wash Emporia State University2014Andrew Arsht & Andrew Markoff Georgetown University2015Alex Miles & Arjun Vellayappan Northwestern University2016David Herman & Hemanth Sanjeev Harvard University2017Devane Murphy & Nicole Nave Rutgers University-Newark2018Quaram Robinson & Will KatzUniversity of Kansas2019Dan Bannister & Anthony Trufanov University of Kentucky2020Not held due to the COVID-19 pandemic N/A2021Raam Tambe & Tyler Vergho Dartmouth College2022Arvind Shankar & Tyler Vergho Dartmouth College2023Tajaih Robinson & Iyana Trotman Wake Forest University2024Kelly Phil & Bennett Dombcik University of Michigan2025Eli T. Louis & Jeremiah CohnBinghamton University2026Daniel Gallagher & Ike SongEmory University

Tournament victories by school School Tourn. Won Years Northwestern University 15 1958, 1959, 1966, 1973, 1978, 1980, 1994, 1995, 1998, 1999, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2011, 2015 Dartmouth College 8 1960, 1963, 1967, 1984, 1988, 1993, 2021, 2022 Harvard University 7 1961, 1969, 1974, 1979, 1985, 1990, 2016 University of Kansas 6 1954, 1970, 1976, 1983, 2009, 2018 Georgetown University 4 1977, 1992, 2012, 2014 Baylor University 3 1975, 1987, 1989 Emory University 4 1996, 2000, 2007, 2026 Michigan State University 3 2004, 2006, 2010 University of Redlands 3 1951, 1952, 1991 Wake Forest University 3 1997, 2008, 2023 University of Alabama 2 1949, 1955 University of Kentucky 2 1986, 2019 Augustana College (Illinois) 1 1957 Carson-Newman College 1 1965 University of California at Los Angeles 1 1971 University of California at Santa Barbara 1 1972 Emporia State University 1 2013 University of Iowa 1 2001 University of Louisville 1 1982 University of Miami 1 1953 University of Michigan 1 2024 North Texas State College 1 1948 Ohio State University 1 1962 University of the Pacific 1 1964 University of Pittsburgh 1 1981 Rutgers University-Newark 1 2017 Southeastern State College 1 1947 United States Military Academy 1 1956 University of Vermont 1 1950 Wichita State University 1 1968Binghamton University12025

Rex Copeland Award

The Rex Copeland award, presented on the eve of the NDT, goes to the team with the best season-long performance, ranked #1 among the 16 teams with automatic bids to the tournament. Rex Copeland, a debater at Samford University, was murdered by his debate coach, William Slagle, in 1989.

Wake Forest University maintains a list of the top 5 finishers for the Copeland Award.

Academic YearCopeland Award WinnerSchoolTOP FIRST ROUND TEAMS - (Prior to establishing the Copeland Award)1972–1973 Stewart Jay & Bradley ZiffGeorgetown University1973–1974 Charles Garvin & Greg RosenbaumHarvard University1974–1975 Thomas Rollins & Bradley ZiffGeorgetown University1975–1976 Robert Feldhake & Richard GodfreyAugustana College1976–1977 David Ottoson & John WalkerGeorgetown University1977–1978 David Ottoson & Tom RollinsGeorgetown University1978–1979 Chris Wonnell & Susan WinklerNorthwestern University1979–1980 James Kirkland & John ThompsonGeorgetown University1980–1981 Cy Smith & Mark WeinhardtDartmouth College1981–1982 Mark Gidley & Zac GrantUniversity of Kansas1982–1983 Melanie Gardner & Erik WalkerSamford University1983–1984 Leonard Gail & Mark KoulogeorgeDartmouth College1984–1985David Bloom & Greg MastelClaremont McKenna College1985–1986 Dan Povinelli & Mark FriedmanUniversity of Massachusetts Amherst1986–1987 Griffin Vincent & Lyn RobbinsBaylor University1987–1988 Ben Attias & Gordon MitchellNorthwestern University1988–1989 Martin Loeber & Daniel PlantsBaylor UniversityCopeland Award Winner1989–1990David Coale & Alex LennonHarvard University1990–1991Roger Cole and Marc RubinsteinUniversity of Redlands1991–1992Kenny Agran & Ara Lovitt Dartmouth College1992–1993Ara Lovitt & Steven SklaverDartmouth College1993–1994Paul Skiermont & Jason PatilUniversity of Kentucky1994–1995John Hughes & Adrienne BroveroWake Forest University1995–1996Sean McCaffity and Mason MillerNorthwestern University1996–1997Scott Hessell and Corey StoughtonUniversity of Michigan1997–1998George Kouros and Anjan SahniEmory University1998–1999Michael Gottlieb & Ryan SparacinoNorthwestern University1999–2000Kristen Langwell & Andy RyanUniversity of Iowa2000–2001Randy Luskey & Dan ShalmonUniversity of California, Berkeley2001–2002Alex Berger & Ben ThorpeDartmouth College2002–2003Geoff Garen & Tristan MoralesNorthwestern University2003–2004Dan Shalmon & Tejinder SinghUniversity of California, Berkeley2004–2005Tristan Morales & Josh BransonNorthwestern University2005–2006Michael Klinger & Nikhil MirchandaniHarvard University2006–2007Brent Culpepper & Kevin RabinowitzUniversity of Georgia2007–2008Jacob Polin & Michael BurshteynUniversity of California, Berkeley2008–2009Matt Fisher & John Warden Northwestern University2009–2010Stephen Weil & Ovais Inamullah Emory University2010–2011Stephen Weil & Ovais Inamullah Emory University2011–2012Ryan Beiermeister & Layne Kirshon Northwestern University2012–2013Andrew Arsht & Andrew Markoff Georgetown University2013–2014Alex Miles & Arjun Vellayappan Northwestern University2014–2015Alex Miles & Arjun Vellayappan Northwestern University2015–2016David Herman & Hemanth Sanjeev Harvard University2016–2017Ayush Midha & Hemanth Sanjeev Harvard University2017–2018Will Katz & Quaram Robinson University of Kansas2018–2019Dan Bannister & Anthony Trufanov University of Kentucky2019—2020Nathan Fleming & Miles Gray University of California, Berkeley2020—2021Raam Tambe & Tyler Vergho Dartmouth College2021—2022Rafael Pierry & Giorgio Rabbini University of Michigan2022—2023Rafael Pierry & Kelly PhilUniversity of Michigan2023—2024Grace Kessler & Shreyas RajagopalEmory University2024—2025John Marshall & Graham RevareUniversity of Kansas2025—2026Daniel Gallagher & Ike SongEmory University

References