Washburn Debate Earns Top Squad at UMKC I-70 Cup Tournament

     Topeka, Kan. – The Washburn University debate team earned Top Squad honors at its first tournament of the spring semester in the 2025-26 season. The UMKC I-70 Cup is a Lincoln-Douglas online tournament held March 28-29, hosted by the University of Missouri-Kansas City (UMKC).

     Additional tournament results:

• Madeline O’Leary-Worsley, sophomore, earned runner up/second place in the Open Division.
• Grady Smith, freshman, was a semifinalist in the Open Division.
• Jenna Massey, freshman, and Alfonso Rascon, junior, advanced through to the quarterfinals in the Open Division.
• Rascon was named fifth overall speaker in the Open Division.
• Wendo Kimori, junior, was named second overall speaker in the Open Division.
• Chrisangel Adame, sophomore, advanced through to the quarterfinals in the Junior Varsity Division.
• Zach Buffington, freshman, earned runner up/second place in the Novice Division.
• Buffington also earned top overall speaker in the Novice Division.

      Also representing Washburn was Grace Springer, freshman. Washburn alumni judges and coaches included Andrew Rea (current graduate student in Washburn’s master’s in communication and leadership program, (’25), Matt Parnell (’18) and Kelly (Burns) Pearson (’19). Shanna Carlson (’10) served as tabulation director for the tournament and is the director of debate at Illinois State University.

     Other universities competing included Florida State University, Illinois State University, Illinois College, Kansas City Kansas Community College, Purdue University, Texas Tech University, Texas State University, Truman State University, University of Missouri-Kansas City, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, University of Nevada, Las Vegas and University of Pittsburgh.

     “I’m excited to see the team hitting its stride just ahead of the national tournament in April — the NFA Lincoln-Douglas Championships, which will take place this year at Tennessee State University in Nashville,” said Kevin O’Leary, director of debate and senior lecturer in communication studies, Washburn University.

     The Washburn University debate team was the national champion in the 2023-24 season and finished the 2024-25 season ranked third in the nation.

     O’Leary and Steve Doubledee, assistant director of debate and senior lecturer in communication studies, coach the Washburn debate team. The program focuses on the Lincoln-Douglas (LD) debate format, which follows a 6-3-7-3-4-6-3 time schedule. Each debater receives 13 minutes of speaking time, three minutes of question time, and four to five minutes of preparation time between speeches. Each round lasts approximately 45 minutes.

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     Founded in 1865, Washburn University is a public institution with almost 8,000 students in more than 200 academic programs. Washburn’s programs lead to certification, associate, bachelor’s, master’s, doctor of nursing practice, and juris doctor degrees. The programs are offered through six primary academic units: the College of Arts & Sciences, School of Applied Studies, Gregory D. and Ronda K. Brenneman School of Business, Harmony J. Hines School of Nursing, School of Law, and Washburn Institute of Technology (Washburn Tech).

     All programs are offered on Washburn’s 160-acre residential campus in the heart of Topeka, Kansas, at Washburn Tech’s west-side campus, or in the East Topeka facility. Washburn University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association, and many individual programs have additional accreditations.

For further information, contact:
Lacey Kinder
Content Specialist
Email: lacey.kinder@washburn.edu
Phone: 785-670-2154