The Monmouth University debate team received an award for making it to the quarter final playoff round at a policy debate tournament hosted by the University of Rochester this weekend (Nov 8–9). The Monmouth team of Aiden Fornicola and Ian McGough made it to the second playoff round on Sunday afternoon after compiling a winning record in the preliminary rounds on Saturday and Sunday morning. Monmouth had five debate teams of two (10 debaters) compete in the tournament and all teams won rounds at the tournament. The five debate teams included: 1) Aiden Fornicola and Ian McGough; 2) Sophie Schaub and Summer Billich; 3) Luciana Molina and Gurvind Dehar; 4) Emma Levinson and Julian Nicholas; and 5) Abigail Branstetter and Ilyana Balaj.
The tournament included debate teams from approximately 10 other colleges including Cornell University, New York University, the University of Rochester, SUNY-Binghamton, and the New School (NYC).
The 2025–26 American Debate Associate topic this year is: “Resolved: The United States Federal Government should substantially strengthen collective bargaining rights for workers in the United States.” The Monmouth team ran an affirmative case seeking to eliminate the farm worker exemption from the National Labor Relations Act.
A special thanks to our team co-captains Mariami Ramirez and Aiden Fornicola who worked hard prepping for the tournament and to MU debate alum Mike Makfinsky and Patrick Carbone for helping judge and coach at the tournament. Please reach out to Joe Patten if interested in learning more about the team. No experience is necessary. Debate teaches skills that last a lifetime and debate is a great way to make life-long friendships.
Go Debate Hawks!