Greenhill Debate Team Post Historic First Half of Season

The Greenhill Debate Team has posted an incredible first half of the season, which is highlighted by multiple teams and individual speakers already earning a berth in the Tournament of Champions (TOC) later this season.Samar Ahmad '19 and Chris Eckert '19 have captured three team championships this season, including the Montgomery Bell Academy Tournament, The Glenbrooks Round Robin as well as the Blake School Invitational. Ahmad and Eckert are currently ranked third in the country in the latest National Debate Coaches Association (NDCA) rankings, and have even posted a trio of victories over the top-ranked squad. The three team championships for Ahmad and Eckert all came at Octofinal Bid Tournaments, which are the most competitive in the country.In Lincoln Douglas Debate, Anna Myers '19 and Mihir Rai '19 are currently ranked first and second in the country in the recent NDCA rankings. Myers and Rai closed out the final rounds at the Blake School Invitational as well as the Grapevine Fall Classic. In addition, Myers has earned runner-up honors at the Apple Valley Invitational, St. Mark's Invitational, The Glenbrooks Round Robin, and Greenhill Round Robin.Brian Zhou '19, who is the defending TOC champion in Lincoln Douglas Debate, has spent the first half of the season as a member of the USA Debate Team where he has been competing in national and international tournaments.In addition, Greenhill has the first two teams in the State of Texas to qualify for the newly-added World Schools Debate competition. Christine Wu '19, Nicole Stachowiak '20, Jothi Gupta '22, Caroline Greenstone '22, Cameron Kettles '22, Ashley Shan '22, and Aimee Stachowiak '22 comprise these teams that have won events at Isidore Newman in New Orleans as well as several local competitions.Joshua Timmons '21 has also qualified for both the Texas Forensic Association State Tournament and Tournament of Champions in Program Oral Interpretation. Timmons has captured multiple awards in Poetry Interpretation as well this season.