What is "Woodward"?

Each spring, Woodward Academy hosts the 1st and 2nd Year National Championships in policy, public forum and lincoln douglas debate. Known informally as "Woodward", the tournament brings schools from all over the country to truly culminate first & second year debaters seasons with a national championship tournament of their own. The first tournament was held in 1988 and it has since been held every spring — except in 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic forced its cancellation. 

Best Finishes

2014 -- Octofinals
Duvall Adair & Thomas Vance (Policy Debate)

2015 -- Octofinals
Niko Battle (Lincoln Douglas Debate)

2018 -- Octofinals
Anthony Ovadje & Andrew Feeney (Policy Debate)

2024 -- Semifinalists

Ryan Baldwin & Grace Crunk (Public Forum)

2024 -- National Champions

Jacob Scherrer & Aman Thakur (Public Forum)
William Mastella & Grayson Zeigler (Public Forum)

Historical Archive of First & Second Year National Championships

2002

Matea Bozja & Melissa Houle -- First Year Policy Debate

Round 1 -- Vestavia Hills JK (WIN)
Round 2 -- Miami Palmetto LS (WIN)
Round 3 -- Henry W. Grady HH (LOSS)
Round 4 -- Iowa City West HW (LOSS)
Round 5 -- Newburgh Free Academy AP (LOSS)
Round 6 -- Fayette County ST (WIN)

Christina Hagan & Christina Read -- First Year Policy Debate

Round 1 -- Colleyville Heritage KT (LOSS)
Round 2 -- St. Marks DL (LOSS)
Round 3 -- Georgetown Day School FR (WIN)
Round 4 -- North Gwinnett HS (LOSS)
Round 5 -- Houston Memorial DP (WIN)
Round 6 -- Chattahoochee AW (LOSS)

2003

Matea Bozja & Vickie Stipick -- Second Year Policy Debate

Round 1 -- Lexington FM (LOSS)
Round 2 -- Montgomery Bell Academy BS (LOSS)
Round 3 -- St. Marks DL (LOSS)
Round 4 -- Chattahoochee GS (LOSS)
Round 5 -- Chamblee Charter HS (WIN)
Round 6 -- Westminster CM (WIN)

Christina Hagan & Melissa Houle -- Second Year Policy Debate

Round 1 -- Gulliver Prep LR (WIN)
Round 2 -- Caddo Magnet CP (LOSS)
Round 3 -- Colleyville Heritage KT (LOSS)
Round 4 -- Meadows School FH (LOSS)
Round 5 -- Westminster CM (WIN)
Round 6 -- Gulliver Prep AT (WIN)

Phillip Hairston & Melissa Withorn -- Second Year Policy Debate

Round 1 -- Vestavia HIlls JK (WIN)
Round 2 -- Maine East FP (LOSS)
Round 3 -- Westminster HM (LOSS)
Round 4 -- Cathedral Prep DZ (LOSS)
Round 5 -- Pace Academy AD (LOSS)
Round 6 -- Harker School GM (LOSS)

2004

Matt Docherty & Charlie Morn -- Second Year Policy Debate

Round 1 -- Otter Valley HN (LOSS)
Round 2 -- Bishop Guertin EP (LOSS)
Round 3 -- Henry W. Grady BS (LOSS)
Round 4 -- BYE
Round 5 -- Lakeside SS (WIN)
Round 6 -- Gulliver Prep LL (LOSS)

2005

Daniel Chandra & Jack Keegan -- First Year Policy Debate

Round 1 -- Georgetown Day School CC (WIN)
Round 2 -- Lake Highland GM (LOSS)
Round 3 -- Wheeler EP (WIN)
Round 4 -- Chattahoochee FJ (LOSS)
Round 5 -- Meadows School KS (LOSS)
Round 6 -- Meadows School BP (LOSS)

2006

Daniel Chandra & Jesse Wong -- Second Year Policy Debate

Round 1 -- Cathedral Prep GS (LOSS)
Round 2 -- Brookfield Central BH (LOSS)
Round 3 -- Calhoun BJ (LOSS)
Round 4 -- Northview KM (LOSS)
Round 5 -- Chamblee HJ (LOSS)
Round 6 -- Fayette County YH (WIN)

Jack Keegan & JP Zivalich -- Second Year Policy Debate

Round 1 -- East Grand Rapids CD (LOSS)
Round 2 -- Caddo Magnet FW (LOSS)
Round 3 -- Bronx Science BU (LOSS)
Round 4 -- Newburgh Free Academy PZ (LOSS)
Round 5 -- Chattahoochee BS (WIN)
Round 6 -- Northview KM (WIN)

2007

Stephen Gruggett & Nadia Hassan -- First Year Policy Debate

Round 1 -- Harker School GM (WIN)
Round 2 -- Trinity Prep GH (WIN)
Round 3 -- Chattahoochee KR (LOSS)
Round 4 -- Chattahoochee RZ (WIN)
Round 5 -- Little Rock Central BJ (LOSS)
Round 6 -- St. Stephens BW (LOSS)

Pranav Mahadevan & Marlin Ranson -- First Year Policy Debate

Round 1 -- St. Marks MR (LOSS)
Round 2 -- Meadows School BC (LOSS)
Round 3 -- Cathedral Prep LS (LOSS)
Round 4 -- Pine Crest BM (WIN)
Round 5 -- Harker School LN (LOSS)
Round 6 -- Westminster BC (LOSS)

Jesse Wong & JP Zivalich -- Second Year Policy Debate

Round 1 -- Montgomery Bell Academy LP (LOSS)
Round 2 -- Greater Atlanta Christian RS (LOSS)
Round 3 -- Cathedral Prep PW (WIN)
Round 4 -- Kinkaid KS (WIN)
Round 5 -- Westminster CM (LOSS)
Round 6 -- Glenbrook South QZ (LOSS)

2008

Nadia Hassan & Pranav Mahadevan -- Second Year Policy Debate

Round 1 -- St. Paul Central JQ (LOSS)
Round 2 -- Cathedral Prep MM (LOSS)
Round 3 -- University School of Nashville BS (LOSS)
Round 4 -- Little Rock Central PO (LOSS)
Round 5 -- Fayette County DK (LOSS)
Round 6 -- East Lansing JF (WIN)

2009

Sydney Chung & Libby Mandarino -- First Year Policy Debate

Round 1 -- Montgomery Bell Academy BH (WIN)
Round 2 -- St. Marks BT (WIN)
Round 3 -- Chattahoochee BC (LOSS)
Round 4 -- Bronx Science FH (WIN)
Round 5 -- Barstow School MW (LOSS)
Round 6 -- Mountain Brook BH (WIN)

Megan Colwell & Andrew Roberts -- First Year Policy Debate

Round 1 -- Bishop Guertin MS (LOSS)
Round 2 -- Barstow School MW (LOSS)
Round 3 -- Marquette University HT (LOSS)
Round 4 -- Chattahoochee LT (LOSS)
Round 5 -- BYE
Round 6 -- Northview ZZ (LOSS)

Eric Eichelberger & Claire Mills -- First Year Policy Debate

Round 1 -- East Kentwood BN (WIN)
Round 2 -- Georgetown Day School GK (WIN)
Round 3 -- Barstow School AB (WIN)
Round 4 -- Glenbrook South HJ (LOSS)
Round 5 -- Westminster SW (LOSS)
Round 6 -- Milton AJ (LOSS)

Andres Marcuse-Gonzales & Rachel Thurston -- First Year Policy Debate
Round 1 -- Chattahoochee DK (WIN)
Round 2 -- Westminster BP (LOSS)
Round 3 -- Centennial LM (LOSS)
Round 4 -- Georgetown Day School GK (LOSS)
Round 5 -- Milton AH (WIN)
Round 6 -- Greenhill DN (LOSS)

John Niedzweicki & Grace Starling -- First Year Policy Debate
Round 1 -- Greenhill EG (LOSS)
Round 2 -- Greenhill JP (LOSS)
Round 3 -- Wheeler KP (LOSS)
Round 4 -- Roswell PX (LOSS)
Round 5 -- St. Marks BT (LOSS)
Round 6 -- Bronx Science HL (WIN)

2010

Sydney Chung & Megan Colwell -- Second Year Policy Debate

Round 1 -- Mountain Brook HM (LOSS)
Round 2 -- Bishop Loughlin HL (WIN)
Round 3 -- Calhoun BL (LOSS)
Round 4 -- St. Marks RW (LOSS)
Round 5 -- St. Marks BR (LOSS)
Round 6 -- Chattahoochee KL (WIN)

Libby Mandarino & Claire Mills -- Second Year Policy Debate

Round 1 -- Georgetown Day School HS (LOSS)
Round 2 -- Westminster BP (LOSS)
Round 3 -- Mountain Brook HS (WIN)
Round 4 -- Bronx Science HL (WIN)
Round 5 -- American History BJ (LOSS)
Round 6 -- Bishop Loughlin AW (WIN)

Andres Marcuse-Gonzales & Rachel Thurston -- Second Year Policy Debate

Round 1 -- Newburgh Free Academy CS (WIN)
Round 2 -- Mountain Brook HS (WIN)
Round 3 -- Menlo Atherton RR (LOSS)
Round 4 -- Glenbrook South GT (LOSS)
Round 5 -- Chattahoochee BC (LOSS)
Round 6 -- Alpharetta CL (LOSS)

2014

Duvall Adair & Thomas Vance -- First Year Policy Debate

Round 1 -- Montgomery Bell Academy HZ (WIN)
Round 2 -- Alpharetta GM (WIN)
Round 3 -- Berkeley Prep GM (WIN)
Round 4 -- Montgomery Bell Acdemy CJ (LOSS)
Round 5 -- Berkeley Prep ES (WIN)
Round 6 -- Alpharetta SZ (LOSS)
Octofinals - Johns Creek BL (LOSS, 1-2)

2015

Zoe Elledge & Andrew Zach -- First Year Policy Debate

3-3

Duvall Adair & Thomas Vance -- Second Year Policy Debate

3-3

Niko Battle -- First Year Lincoln Douglas Debate

2016

Zoe Elledge & Andrew Zach -- First Year Policy Debate

Round 1 -- Mountain Brook SW (WIN)
Round 2 -- Montgomery Bell Academy HL (WIN)
Round 3 -- Cabot BS (LOSS)
Round 4 -- Georgetown Day School FB (LOSS)
Round 5 -- Little Rock Central JJ (LOSS)
Round 6 -- University School Nashville GH (WIN)

2018

Anthony Ovadje & Andrew Feeney -- First Year Policy Debate


2019

Anthony Ovadje & Sophie Verska -- Second Year Policy Debate