PHC's successful 2023-2024 debate season!

"The debate season in general has been very robust," said Debate Coach Ryan McDonald. "We've seen a lot of competitive success around the board." 57 students competed this year, with half being freshmen or sophomores, and they earned championships in several different tournaments, including a prestigious tournament at a Paris military school! Here's our recap of the season's results! 

Social Justice Opener (Sept. 17, 2023)

3 PHC teams competed in this tournament. 

PHC Sentinel Skirmish IPDA Intramural (Oct. 23- Nov. 1, 2023)

To ensure our debaters had ample opportunity to showcase their skills, PHC hosted an intramural tournament and also competed in several virtual International Public Debate Association (IPDA) tournaments. In this intramural, Braedon Steiner and Karis He advanced to the Semifinals,  Angelina Gibson earned 2nd Place,  and Caleb Dummermuth earned 1st Place! 

PHC Sentinel Skirmish Social Justice Intramural (Oct. 23- Nov. 1, 2023)

4 PHC teams competed in this intramural tournament. 

IPDA Debates—Middle TN University (Oct.27-29, 2023)

4 PHC students competed. Matthew Harris earned 5th Place Speaker, and Benjamin Spivey earned 3rd Place overall and 4th Place Speaker. 

IPDA Virtual Debates—Linfield University (Nov. 11-12, 2023)

3 PHC students competed. Angelina Gibson advanced to the Octafinals and earned 2nd Place Speaker. 

Social Justice Fall Championship (Nov. 11-12, 2023)

Nehemiah Bradley, Ellie Munshi, and Lorelei Smucker—three freshman debaters—competed and were declared Novice Division Champions!

Central States Ethics Bowl Regional (Nov. 18, 2023)

2 PHC teams competed. The team of Christian Castro, Eva Cooley, Darius Franklin, and Ilia Eiden won three rounds and lost none. The team of Daniel Chavez, Anna Cox, Isaac Lubben, and Stephen Moreau won two rounds and tied for another. 

IPDA Virtual Debates—Jamestown University (Dec. 1-3, 2023)

4 PHC students competed, and Isaac Weber earned 2nd Place. 

Transatlantic Debates—Loyola Marymount University (Feb. 24-25, 2024)

PHC sent one team: Eden Mackie, Hannah Bruck, and Josiah Todd. Bruck earned 1st Place Speaker. Bruck was also placed on a multi-school team at the tournament, and her multi-school team won the tournament!

IPDA Online—Bowling Green (Feb. 24-25, 2024)

12 PHC students competed. Braedon Steiner advanced to Quarters, and David Stokarski and Isaac Weber advanced to the semifinals. Josh Myers earned 4th Place Speaker.  

IPDA Online—Union University (March 2-3, 2024)

9 PHC students competed. Aiden Forbes placed 1st for Junior Varsity and earned 1st Place Speaker. Kailey Jones and Kennedy King advanced to Novice Octafinals. 

IPDA Online—National Championship (March 14-17, 2024)

8 PHC students competed. Matthias Todd advanced to Double-Octafinals, Noah Todd and Jason Chahyadi advanced to Octafinals, and David Hoghaug advanced to the Top 4.

Miami Ocean Debates (March 22-24, 2024)

4 PHC teams competed. Jesse Castrinos and Zeke Johnson advanced to Quarters, Caleb Helsing and Wyatt Trull earned 2nd Place, and Nehemiah Bradly and Ammon Corpron earned 1st Place!

Schuman Challenge—National Championship (April 4-5, 2024)

4 PHC students competed. 

IPDA NCCFA Nationals (April 12-15, 2024)

3 PHC students competed. Aiden Forbes and Matthias Todd advanced to JV Octas, Forbes earning 13th Place and Todd earning 12th Place. 

Transatlantic Debates—George Washington University (April 20-21, 2024)

Sarah Fox, Finn Buck, and James Staub earned 4th Place, and Eden Mackie, Hannah Bruck, and Josiah Todd earned 3rd Place. Bruck also earned 2nd Place Speaker. 

Transatlantic Debates—Ecole de Guerre, Paris, France (June 19-25, 2024)

Eden Mackie, Hannah Bruck, and Josiah Todd won the Championship against the U.S. Air Force Academy! They were judged by French officers at the French Military Academy Ecole de Guerre.

"Being able to see students really wield their God-given talent effectively is just the coolest thing to see," Coach Ryan McDonald said. "When I see students not just come away with a win but come away having built positive character and reputation for the Lord's kingdom, representing Christ at these tournaments, it's amazing."

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 Patrick Henry College exists to glorify God by challenging the status quo in higher education, lifting high both faith and reason within a rigorous academic environment; thereby preserving for posterity the ideals behind the "noble experiment in ordered liberty" that is the foundation of America.