The Samford debate team of Carly Davis of Windermere, Florida, and Wesley Staples of Killen, Alabama, won the Novice division of Hoosier Invitational Debate Tournament Jan. 30–Feb 1. Davis was named top speaker. Staples was named second speaker.
The Samford Davis/Staples team was undefeated in preliminary rounds and defeated Vanderbilt University in the finals. The team also defeated debaters from Illinois College and Wayne State University.
Other Samford teams in every division scored winning records. The Varsity team of Natalie Bennie of Brentwood, Tennessee, and Marley Davis of Mount Olive, Alabama, defeated teams from the University of Florida, University of Iowa, Michigan State University and University of Northern Iowa. Bennie was named seventh speaker.
The Junior Varsity team of Hope Reamer of Mountain Brook, Alabama, and Ashley Herring of Chattanooga, Tennessee, defeated teams from Lakeland College and the University of Michigan. Reamer was named fifth speaker.