An Outstanding Debut: UMN Invitational Results

UMN students competing

Thank you for joining us for the UMN Invitational tournament, hosted by the Minnesota Urban Debate League and the University of Minnesota. This was the first tournament of the year for several teams and also the first time that many novice, junior varsity, and varsity teams got to compete together locally.

debaters pose in colorful clothes

There was also a chance to win the Not a Slay Day Tacky Outfit Contest. Congratulations to Ruby N. and Nalini C. from Central High School, and Keeda J. from Edison, for winning this honor!

Of course, as always, students had the chance to earn team awards (based on the win/loss record) and speaker awards (based on the judges’ assessment of their core individual speaking skills). We’re proud to say that across 2 days, MNUDL students brought home 10 first place awards!

Check out the tournament highlights below!

Day 1: Friday

Novice A: 

Team Awards (Top 10) 

  • CHAMPIONS: Gaston & Cintorino (Edison HS) 
  • 3rd: Bredeson & Abdi (Johnson) 
  • 4th: Stensland & Martinez Aguilar (Highland Park
  • 6th: Daniels & Searls & Christensen (South HS) 
  • 7th: Wernimont, Morales Ortiz, & Isaac Searles (South HS) 
  • 8th: Medved & Thao (Tartan HS) 
  • 9th: Alasow & Kashanvu (Johnson HS) 
  • 10th: Soza Malespin, Alvarez, & Soza Malespin (Roosevelt HS) 

Speaker Awards (Top 25) 

  • 3rd: Josiah B. (Johnson HS) 
  • 5th: Nathan M. (Tartan HS) 
  • 9th: Maya C. (Edison HS) 
  • 10th: Tillton G. (Edison HS) 
  • 11th: Deborah M. E. (Tartan HS)
  • 12th: Istahil A. (Johnson HS) 
  • 13th: Umelkayer A. (Johnson HS) 
  • 14th: Stephie K. (Johnson HS) 
  • 15th: Deion B. (Edison HS) 
  • 16th: Anna B. (Highland Park) 
  • 17th: James C. (Central HS) 
  • 18th: Matthew T. (Tartan HS) 
  • 19th: Benjamin C.N. (Washburn HS) 
  • 20th: Sarah M. (Highland Park) 
  • 21st: Josie M. (Roosevelt) 
  • 22nd: Lu C.S. (Roosevelt) 
  • 23rd: Harrison V. (Central HS) 
  • 24th: Finn O.H. (Central HS) 
  • 25th: Sumaiyah R. (Edison HS) 

 

Novice B: 

Team Awards (Top 5) 

  • Champion: Adler Y. (Roosevelt HS) 
  • 2nd: Alexander L. (Edison HS) 
  • 3rd: Adrian S. (South HS) 
  • 4th: Keeda J. (Edison HS) 

Speaker Awards (TOP 10) 

  • 2nd: Adler Y. (Roosevelt) 
  • 5th: Ruweyda H. (Tartan HS) 
  • 6th: Odia K. (Tartan HS) 
  • 7th: Alexander L. (Edison HS) 
  • 8th: Nadyiah O. (Tartan HS) 
  • 9th: Laura A. (Tartan HS) 
  • 10th: Ramla S. (Tartan HS) 

 

Novice C: 

Team Awards: (Top 3) 

  • Champions: Sheikh-Ali & Ziebell (Tartan HS) 
  • 2nd: Atobatele & Thao (Tartan HS) 
  • 3rd: Hassen & Salah (WTMS) 

Speaker Awards (Top 5) 

  • 1st: Neima H. (WTMS) 
  • 2nd: Zuhur S.A.(Tartan HS) 
  • 3rd: Elijah Z. (Tartan HS) 
  • 4th: Samira S. (WTMS) 
  • 5th: Sabrena T. (Tartan HS) 

 

Junior Varsity: 

Team Awards (Top 5) 

  • 2nd: Berger & Mulrooney (Central HS) 
  • 3rd: LaSalle & Trifilio (Central HS) 
  • 4th: Truong & Nielson (Central HS) 
  • 5th: McQuillen & Nervig (Roosevelt HS) 

Speaker Awards (Top 10) 

  • 2nd: Ben B. (Central HS) 
  • 3rd: Oliver N. (Central HS) 
  • 4th: Abe M.(Central HS) 
  • 6th: Eleanor L.(Central HS) 
  • 7th: Abdihafid M. (Edison HS) 
  • 8th: Adai T. (Central HS) 
  • 9th: Adrian T. (Central HS) 
  • 10th: Eleanor N. (Roosevelt HS) 

 

DAY 2: SATURDAY 

Novice A: 

Team Awards (Top 15)

  • 2nd: Jaima Botello & Fehler (Roosevelt HS) 
  • 4th: Eva E. (Central HS) 
  • 5th: Lundquist & Neal (Prior Lake) 
  • 6th: Tran & Mai (Prior Lake) 
  • 7th: Medved & Thao (Tartan HS) 
  • 8th: Kajela & Frempong (Highland Park) 
  • 9th: Holl & Cahoy-Nanneman (Washburn HS) 
  • 11th: Cintorino & Gaston (Edison HS) 
  • 13th: Hearse & Sarkar (Prior Lake)
  • 14th: Burton & Reeves (Edison HS)
  • 15th: August Peden (Roseville) 

Speaker Awards (Top 25): 

  • Champion: Deion B. (Edison HS) 
  • 2nd: Cassondra C.(Como Park HS) 
  • 4th: Satyarani J.B. (Roosevelt HS) 
  • 6th: Himeeka S. (Prior Lake) 
  • 7th: August P. (Roseville) 
  • 8th: Jolene N. (Prior Lake) 
  • 9th: Caroline F. (Roosevelt) 
  • 12th: Sihaam M. (Prior Lake)
  • 13th: Eva E. (Central HS)
  • 14th: Calvin L. (Prior Lake) 
  • 16th: Nathan M.(Tartan HS) 
  • 17th: Gen M. (Como Park) 
  • 18th: Adrian S. (Prior Lake) 
  • 19th: Ryan M. (Prior Lake) 
  • 20th: Benjamin C.N. (Washburn) 
  • 21st: Ekram K. (Highland Park) 
  • 22nd: Jayden T. (Prior Lake) 
  • 23rd: Arthur B. (Como Park)
  • 25th: Monserrat M.A. (Highland Park) 

 

Novice B 

Team Awards (Top Half) 

  • 2nd: Keeda Johnson (Edison HS) 
  • 3rd: Alexander Lisin (Edison HS) 
  • 5th: Adrian Swim (Mpls South) 
  • 6th: Carter & Nagel (Central HS) 
  • 7th: Mulcahey & Timm (Central HS) 

Speaker Awards (Top Half): 

  • 5th: Alexander L. (Edison HS) 
  • 6th: Adrian S. (Mpls South) 
  • 7th: Keeda J. (Edison HS) 
  • 9th: Ruby N. (Central HS) 
  • 10th: Nalini C. (Central HS) 
  • 11th: Lindsay M. (Central HS) 

 

Novice C: 

Team Awards (Top 2) 

  • 1st: Perez & James & Hemann (Tartan HS) 
  • 2nd: Atobatele & Thao (Tartan HS) 

Speaker Awards (Top 5) 

  • 1st: Inah J. (Tartan HS) 
  • 2nd: Sabrena T. (Tartan HS) 
  • 3rd: Lillie P. (Tartan HS) 
  • 4th: Iman K. (WTMS) 
  • 5th: Seenaa G. (WTMS) 

 

Junior Varsity: 

Team Awards (Top Half) 

  • 1st: Truong & Nielson (Central HS)
  • 4th: Good & Windau (WTMS) 
  • 5th: Mulrooney & Berger (Central HS) 
  • 6th: LaSalle & Trifilio (Central HS) 
  • 7th: Abdihafid Mohamed (Edison HS)  

Speaker Awards (Top Half) 

  • 1st: Adai T. (Central HS) 
  • 3rd: Abdihafid M. (Edison HS)
  • 5th: Oliver N. (Central HS) 
  • 6th: Liam W. (WTMS) 
  • 9th: Charlotte W. (Central HS) 
  • 10th: Adler Y. (Roosevelt HS) 
  • 11th: Tilly C. (Central HS) 

 

Varsity: 

Team Awards (Top 10) 

  • CHAMPIONS: Ulven & Baxter Kauf (Central HS) 
  • 5th: Eleanor J. (Central HS) 
  • 7th: Winters & Burgess & Voelkel (Mpls South) 
  • 9th: Clark & Miller (Central HS) 
  • 10th: Sherrell & Bozic (Washburn HS) 

Speaker Awards (Top Half) 

  • 3rd: Max U. (Central HS) 
  • 5th: Noah W. (Mpls South) 
  • 6th: Eleanor J. (Central HS) 
  • 10th: Kiernan B.K. (Central HS) 
  • 12th: Carmen I.G. (Edison HS) 
  • 15th: Sofia B. (Mpls South) 
  • 18th: Nathan C. (Central HS) 
  • 20th: Elliot M. (Central HS) 

Help us host more great tournaments like this. You’ll give students a chance to compete, represent their schools, and explore area universities. Make a donation today!