Qualifying to the National Tournament
The top two entries in each division at the District Championship earn qualifying bids to the NSDA's National Tournament. Marist has built one of the most dominant programs in the history of the district, qualifying more than 100 entries over a 11 year span.
The National Tournament is held in June every year in the middle of our summer break making it hard to attend some years. Below you will find a list of our students who have qualified and highlighted are the students who attended.
Qualifying Years By Event
Policy Debate: 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023
Public Forum Debate: 2012, 2013, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023
Lincoln Douglas Debate: 2017, 2018, 2020, 2021, 2023
International Extemp: 2012, 2017, 2018, 2021
United States Extemp: 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2021, 2022
Informative Speaking: 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023
Original Oratory: 2014, 2016, 2020, 2022, 2023
Dramatic Interpretation: 2015, 2022, 2023
Humorous Interpretation: 2014, 2016, 2017, 2021, 2022
Duo Interpretation: 2017, 2021, 2022, 2023
Programmed Oral Interp: 2017, 2022, 2023
Best Finishes at NSDA Nationals
In 2012, the senior team of Claire Mills '12 and Rachel Thurston '12 finished preliminary rounds with a 8-4 record, earning them a spot in elimination debates. The pair made it to the tenth round where they lost to Cathedral Preparatory School (PA), ranking 23rd in the nation.
In 2017, the senior team of Thomas Vance '17 and Duvall Adair '17 finished preliminary rounds with a undefeated record 12-0, earning them a spot in elimination rounds. The pair made it to the tenth round where they lost to Greenhill School (TX), ranking 21st in the nation. Thomas Vance was named the 7th best speaker in the nation. Paul Plaia '18 advanced to the Octofinals (top 60) in Impromptu Speaking out of 500 speakers.
In 2019, the junior team of Sophie Verska '20 and Will Sjostrom '20 finished preliminary rounds with an 11-1 record, earning them a spot in the elimination debates. The pair made it to the eighth round where they lost to Cypress Bay High School (FL), finishing in the top 60 in the country.
NATIONAL QUALIFIER HISTORY
2011-2012
Policy Debate: Claire Mills & Rachel Thurston
Policy Debate: Libby Mandarino & Sydney Chung
Public Forum: John Niedzwiecki & Sterling DeSantis
International Extemp: Chandler Apple
2012-2013
Policy Debate: Chandler Apple & Quang Bui
Public Forum: Sydney Apple & Sterling DeSantis
United States Extemp: Zachary Temin
2013-2014
Policy Debate: Chandler Apple & Quang Bui
Congressional Debate: Ryan McKenna
United States Extemp: Ananya Malhotra
Original Oratory: Brandon Fountain
Humorous Interpretation: Kelly Bazel
2014-2015
Policy Debate: Quang Bui & Duvall Adair
Policy Debate: Zoe Elledge & Drew Sherman
Dramatic Interpretation: Ryan McKenna
2015-2016
Policy Debate: Duvall Adair & Thomas Vance
Policy Debate: Andrew Zach & William Ross
United States Extemp: Paul Plaia
Original Oratory: Liam Kirchner
Humorous Interpretation: Liam Kirchner
Congressional Debate: Noah Mengisteab
Congressional Debate: Katie Hopkins
Congressional Debate: Connor Fraundorf
Congressional Debate: Ryan McKenna
2016-2017
Policy Debate: Duvall Adair & Thomas Vance
Policy Debate: Zoe Elledge & Andrew Zach
Lincoln Douglas Debate: Liam Mullican
United States Extemp: Paul Plaia
United States Extemp: Mason Bussey
International Extemp: Thomas Vance
International Extemp: Paul Plaia
Informative Speaking: Payton Griffin
Humorous Interpretation: Caswell King
Duo Interpretation: Emma Federer & Caswell King
Program Oral Interp: Emma Federer
Congressional Debate: Rachel Lee
Congressional Debate: Thomas Vance
2017-2018
Policy Debate: Victoria Turnier & Moira Ujda
Policy Debate: Anthony Ovadje & Julian Gaffga
Lincoln Douglas: Anna Price
United States Extemp: Paul Plaia
United States Extemp: Andrew Zach
International Extemp: Paul Plaia
Informative Speaking: Anna Price
Congressional Debate: Paul Plaia
Congressional Debate: Andrew Zach
2018-2019
Policy Debate: Victoria Turnier & Anthony Ovadje
Policy Debate: Ian Chung & Lianna Homrich
Public Forum Debate: Will Sjostrom & Sophie Verska
Informative Speaking: Maggie Nahas
Congressional Debate: Will Sjostrom
Congressional Debate: Anthony Ovadje
2019-2020
Policy Debate: Brayden Miller & Victoria Turnier
Policy Debate: Ian Chung & Lianna Homrich
Public Forum Debate: Will Sjostrom & Sophie Verska
Public Forum Debate: Sydney Vance & Claire Lauterbach
Original Oratory: Claire Lauterbach
Congressional Debate: Will Sjostrom
Congressional Debate: Sophie Verska
2020-2021
Policy Debate: Ian Chung & Melissa Valencia
Policy Debate: Paris Dinh & Natalia Daniel
Public Forum Debate: Sydney Vance & Claire Lauterbach
Public Forum Debate: Anthony Ovadje & Lauryn Walker
Lincoln Douglas: Ian Chung
Lincoln Douglas: Will Fligg
United States Extemp: Lauryn Walker
United States Extemp: Sydney Vance
International Extemp: Anthony Ovadje
Informative Speaking: Lianna Homrich
Duo Interpretation: Elijah Peterson & Owen Smith
Duo Interpretation: Ian Erickson & Will Harrast
Humorous Intepretation: Maggie Nahas
Congressional Debate: Ethan Ekpenyong
Congressional Debate: Anthony Ovadje
2021-2022
Policy Debate: Casey Czerniawski & Kaitlin Algeo
Policy Debate: Logan Bjerke & Charlie Parker
Public Forum Debate: Josh Escayg & Claire Lauterbach
Public Forum Debate: Ian Chung & Melissa Valencia
United States Extemp: Will Fligg
Informative Speaking: Lianna Homrich
Original Oratory: Chapman Priestley
Original Oratory: Savannah Fleming
Duo Interpretation: Chapman Priestley & Savannah Fleming
Duo Interpretation: Elizabeth McCall & Matthew Horne
Dramatic Interpretation: Josh Escayg
Humorous Interpretation: Aman Haileyesus
Humorous Interpretation: Maggie Nahas
Program Oral Interp: Lianna Homrich
Program Oral Interp: Elizabeth McCall
2022-2023
Policy Debate: Casey Czerniawski & Kaitlin Algeo
Policy Debate: Michelle Lee & Ephrata Tesfaye
Public Forum Debate: Josh Escayg & Elly Kang
Public Forum Debate: Matthew Horne & Kaitlyn Escayg
Lincoln Douglas Debate: Casey Czerniawski
Informative Speaking: Sienna Reams
Informative Speaking: David Kleinrock
Original Oratory: Maeve Miller
Original Oratory: Mia Abujawdeh
Dramatic Interpretation: Sienna Reams
Dramatic Interpretation: Will Fligg
Duo Interpretation: Elizabeth McCall & Maxwell Watkins
Duo Interpretation: Logan Bjerke & Charlie Parker
Program Oral Interp: Elizabeth McCall
Program Oral Interp: Faiza Khaled
Program Oral Interp: Estella Hood
Congressional Debate: Charlie Frame
Congressional Debate: Josh Escayg