About the Awards

Each year, students at ADA Nationals vote for the Debater of the Year in their division.

Novice Debater of the Year

2025 Hayla Aziz, Liberty University

2024 Sonia Chen, George Mason University

2023 Nathan Stolzenfeld, George Mason University

2022 Grace Blackwell, Samford University

2021     Timothy Phillips, George Mason University

2020    Louis Gleason, Boston College

2019    Ian Morris, George Mason University

2018     Shana Pederson, George Mason University

2017     Julia Lynch, University of Miami

2016     Michael Harrington, Liberty University

2015     Melissa Cavell, University of Miami

Junior Varsity Debater of the Year

2025 Kathleen Silkes, Indiana University

2024 Destiny Hale, Wake Forest University

2023 Glen Scully, Michigan State University

2022     Jason Santiago, U.S. Naval Academy

2021      Abbie Amundsen, University of Minnesota

2020     Shahd Joari, George Mason University

2019     Morgan Copeland, Liberty University

2018     John Huebler, University of Mary Washington

2017     Ian Lowery, George Mason University

2016     Rakeem Robinson, Liberty University

2015     Michael Crenshaw, Liberty University

Varsity Debater of the Year

2025 Akash Deo, Northwestern University

2024 Diego ‘Jay-Z’ Flores, California State University-Long Beach

2023    Eugenia Giampetruzzi, Emory University

2022    Nina Fridman, Northwestern University

2021     Katie Wimsatt, California State University-Berkeley

2020    Ashton Smith, University of Michigan

2019     Harry Aaronson, Indiana University

2018     Hemanth Sanjeev, Harvard University

2017     Hemanth Sanjeev, Harvard University

2016     Anthony Ogbuli, University of Texas-Dallas

2015     Miranda Ehrlich, University of Minnesota