Debate’s First Sixty-five Years:
1835-1900 – The Literary Society Era


Half a Century Revisited – 1900-1950


The Modern Era – 1950-Present

  • 1951, November 17: Wake Forest Novice debate tournament starts
  • 1954: A National Controversy – Debating “Red China”
  • 1956, December: Dixie Classic Tournament Starts
  • 1956: Wake Forest College Reynolda Campus open in Winston-Salem, NC
  • 1957: High School tournament revived
  • 1961: Department of Speech Communication and Theatre Arts established
  • 1963: TKA Charter Obtained
  • 1967: Wake Forest College becomes Wake Forest University
  • 1973: Hosted National Forensics League High School Nationals
  • 1978: Death of A. Lewis Aycock
  • 1978: Debater’s Research Guide revived, thirty year tradition of excellence of high school service
  • 1983: Dixie Classic renamed the Franklin R. Shirley Dixie Classic
  • 1984: National Earlybird Forensics Tournament inaugurated
  • 1985, 1988: Gloria Cabada Top Speaker at National Debate Tournament
  • 1995: Brovero & Hughes win Copeland Tournament
  • 1996: Wake Forest Host 50th National Debate Tournament
  • 1997: Wake Wins National Debate Tournament; Magazine AccountWindow on Wake Forest AccountReflections of National Champion by Daveed Gartenstein-Ross
  • 2001: Shirley Classic host innovative “National Debate-In” following 9/11
  • 2001: Record Breaking Senior Year Featured
  • 2002: Shirley Classic becomes host of the National Coach of the Year award
  • 2002: Debate Team participates in Presidential Debate Week
  • 2003: Dixie Classic renamed Franklin R. Shirley Classic
  • 2004: Won Novice National Title for only second time (first in 1996)
  • 2006: Jamie Carroll and Brad Hall place 2nd at National Debate Tournament
  • 2006: Liz Lundeen named Truman Scholar, WFU Debate’s 5th Truman
  • 2006: Eugene Worrell, champion debater from 1936 – 1940 and longtime Wake Forest benefactor, dies
  • 2006, April: Merwyn Hayes Trophy Case Dedicated, Reunion held
  • 2008: Deacs win National Debate Tournament
  • 2009: Deacs Loose Long time Coach and Director of Debate Ross K. Smith
  • 2009: Wake Forest makes the finals of the National Debate Tournament and finishes in second place.
  • 2010: Jarrod Atchison (’01 & ’03) joins as the Director of Debate
  • 2012: Justin Green (’99) joins as the Head Coach
  • 2015: Wake Forest wins the ACC Debate Championship
  • 2015:  Dr. Jarrod Atchison awarded the George Ziegelmueller Award by the NDT Board of Trustees
  • 2016: Wake Forest wins the ACC Debate Championship for the second year in a row
  • 2017: Wake Forest wins the ACC Debate Championship for the third year in a row, makes the semifinals of the NDT, and semifinals of CEDA nationals
  • 2017: Justin Green receives CEDA’s Brownlee Lifetime Achievement Award
  • 2019: Semifinals of the NDT
  • 2020: NDT, CEDA, and ACC cancelled for Coronavirus
  • 2020: Megan Medica honors the legacy of Wake Forest University trustee John Kevin Medica with a $5 million gift to the debate program that includes renaming the Director of Debate position. 
  • 2021: Wake Forest debate wins the ACC Debate Championship.
  • 2022: Associate Head Coach, Dr. Amber Kelsie is awarded the George Ziegelmueller Award by the NDT Board of Trustees. 
  • 2022: Wake Forest wins the Cross Examination Debate Association National Championship. 
  • 2023: Wake Forest hosts the 77th National Debate Tournament in Chantilly, VA.
  • 2023: Wake Forest is the first intercollegiate debate program to win the Triple Crown (ADA, CEDA, and NDT) in the same season. Wake Forest also wins the ACC Debate Championship. 
  • 2023: Taylor Brough (MA ’20) joins as Associate Head Coach

Debate Highlights