Be part of a full squad competitive debate team with a legacy of over 25 years of championship policy debate. Benefit from our full-time coaching staff and travel throughout the school year. Learn everything you need to join LU Debate and compete with a winning team at LU Debate Week.
Tuition scholarships are available for eligible first-year college debaters with or without experience, and returning junior varsity and varsity debaters.
With the Debate Team, you’ll learn how to grow in graduate-level research and presentation skills that will prepare you for your future. Get trained in critical thinking and argument strategy, and gain practical communication skills.
Debate has introduced me to a world of people, cultures, and ideas that have helped shape who I am. It has shown me that learning critical thinking and complex problem-solving isn’t just found in the classroom.
Dr. Amanda Koch
There is nothing like competitive debate to encourage deep research and sharp thinking while also building empathy with other viewpoints.
Dr. Zach Gautier
My experience doing college debate at Liberty was so practical in refining the key skills that I’ve needed in my career - critical thinking, research, writing, speaking, and the ability to see both sides of an issue. It also allowed me to manage the rigors of my master’s and doctoral work.
Travel With the Debate Team
The competitive debate season spans the entire academic year, so you can expect to travel multiple times each semester. All travel expenses are covered by LU Debate.
What a weekend for our Novices at the first tournament of the year.
🏆Huge congratulations to Liberty HH (Isaac/Isaiah) for advancing to Finals — they were the 3rd seed overall after going 6–2 in prelims.
🏆Congrats as well to Liberty PR (Sophia/Ava) for making it to Quarterfinals, with Ava earning 5th Speaker and Sophia earning 10th Speaker.
🏆Shoutout to Liberty DS (Olivia/Nathan) for reaching Octafinals, and a special nod to Liberty LT (Taylor/Jozzelyn), who went 4–4 and narrowly missed elimination rounds by just a few speaks.
Overall, an impressive start to the season for our Novice squad. Go Flames! 🔥
This weekend, the Liberty University Debate Team was back in full swing!!
Varsity team, Liberty CL (Jayden/Emmalee), was invited to compete at the Brick City Round Robin hosted by Rutgers University, where they went 3–2. And special shout out to Jayden on winning 3rd Speaker! 🏆
In our Novice division, teams competed online at the Crowe-Warken Debates hosted by the United States Naval Academy, and as they head into Round 8, all of our teams have already secured at least four wins heading into the final round.
Wish us luck as we aim to bring home some of our first trophies of the 2026 season!!
The Dr. Rakeem Robinson Endowed Scholarship recently passed $100,000 in contributions!! This milestone would have been impossible without an outpouring of support from our alums, friends, and family. Your gifts will create opportunities for the next generation of Liberty Debaters.We are grateful and humbled by your generosity. Thank you!
