DENTON, Texas — UNT Debate closed the 2025–26 season with two 5th place finishes at the International Public Debate Association National Tournament, held April 10–13 at Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro, Tennessee.

The national tournament brought together more than 50 schools and more than 500 competitors, including Texas State University, Southern Methodist University and Abilene Christian University. The Varsity division featured 96 competitors, Junior Varsity had 89, Novice had 115 and the Team Debate division included 81 two-person teams.

UNT’s top finishes came in both Team Debate and Varsity competition. In Team Debate, Freddie Smith and Jack Hasper tying for fifth place nationally after winning five of six preliminary debates and defeating Mississippi State University and Union University in elimination rounds. Their finish tied UNT with Boise State University, UC San Diego, and UC Santa Barbara.

Hasper also reached the Quarterfinals in Varsity competition, tying for fifth place nationally. He won five preliminary rounds, advanced through double octafinals and octafinals, and recorded elimination-round wins over UC Santa Barbara and Dallas Baptist University. His run also included preliminary wins over UC San Diego, LSU Shreveport, and Abilene Christian University. Hasper’s finish tied him with competitors from UC Santa Barbara, UC San Diego, and Idaho State University.

UNT was represented at the national tournament by Jack Hasper, Freddie Smith, Jackson Jones, Aiden McQueary, Jawohn Ohasiri, Chase Inman, Elisabeth Kiu and Sean Newman.

In Varsity individual speaker awards, Hasper was named the tournament’s eighth overall speaker and Smith earned 10th overall speaker honors. Smith also finished among the top 30 debaters in the Varsity division, with wins over the University of Central Arkansas, the University of Arkansas, and Whitworth University.

In Team Debate awards, McQueary was named third speaker, Jones finished fifth speaker and Smith earned sixth speaker honors. McQueary and Jones also finished among the top 30 teams in the division.

UNT also posted strong results in the Novice and Junior Varsity divisions. Ohasiri finished among the top 30 debaters in Novice, highlighted by wins over Mississippi State University, UC Santa Barbara and Dallas Baptist University. In Junior Varsity, Inman finished among the top 30 debaters in the division, with wins over Mississippi State University, UC San Diego and Abilene Christian University.

“This team competed with confidence and toughness all weekend, and I’m proud of how they represented UNT on a national stage,” said Dr. Brian Lain, Director of Debate. “Six different UNT students came home with awards from the IPDA national’s tournament, winning in every scholastic division the tournament offers. To place two entries in the quarterfinals at nationals and finish the season ranked among the top 30 programs in the country says a lot about the work this group put in all year.”

UNT concluded the season ranked among the top 30 colleges and universities out of 190 competing in the International Public Debate Association.

For more information on UNT Debate, please contact Dr. Brian Lain, Director of Debate at brian.lain@unt.edu.