Bossier Parish Community College’s Debate Team remained at the top of the standings, as the nation’s largest intercollegiate debate organization concluded its national championship tournament on April 16th. The BPCC team earned the regular season community college national championship for the second straight year and has now been atop the rankings since September 2017. In the national championship tournament, the team concluded the season by earning the community college championship national championship at the national championship tournament for the second straight year as well.
“This group of students continued to rise to challenges throughout the year,” said Debate Team Coach Bob Alexander. “We started the season with the goal of repeating as regular season and championship tournament national championships, and every time the competition would push with stronger performances this team pushed back by achieving even more. This was a team effort and I’m honored to have been able to work with this talented group.”
En route to the regular season community college national championship, the team earned 104 awards. Three BPCC students finished the regular season ranked in the top 20 among all college and university competitors: Keithen Lewis finished as the 4th ranked novice, Sydney Green finished as the 7th ranked novice speaker, and Bobby Alexander finished ranked 19th in the junior varsity division. In the national championship tournament, the team earned 8 additional awards including the community college national championship.
Assistant Debate Team Coach Preston Langley added, “This year’s team had high standards to live up to after last year’s performance and they rose to the challenge. I am extremely proud and I can’t wait to see what next year has in store.”
This marks the fourth national championship for BPCC’s debate team, having won the title in 2011, 2012, 2018 and 2019. “We are proud to do our part to show the nation the quality of students that choose Bossier Parish Community College,” said Alexander. “The five seasons between our first championships and this current run were far too long. We are going to enjoy this one for a couple of weeks, but then it will be time to get back to work toward building another championship squad.”
BPCC Debate Team members after their national championship victory.
Pictured left to right: Preston Langley, Skylar Davis, Alex Gibson, Genna Weilmuenster, Bobby Alexander, Sydney Green, Keithen Lewis, Magan Billups, Hannah Morris and Dena O’Banion.