MP
Maria Palacios
  • finance
  • Class of 2016
  • Gainesville, GA

UNG Debate Team, including Maria Palacios, takes second in national competition

2014 Mar 31

The University of North Georgia (UNG) Debate Team showed great success at the National Comprehensive Debate Tournament in Indianapolis, Ind., finishing in second place as a team and securing high-placing berths in several divisions and an individual competition.

Sponsored by Pi Kappa Delta, the competition pitted 60 colleges and universities against each other for the debate competition, with some 80 institutions participating overall in the debate competition and other events. The 43 total wins posted by the UNG Debate Team at the tournament also established a university record.

Maria Palacios of Gainesville, GA, a junior majoring in finance, advanced to the “Sweet 16" in Varsity Parliamentary Debate.

"This second-place performance eclipses UNG's previous best of the 13th Place Overall School Award at the 2013 Pi Kappa Delta National Tournament," said Dr. Tom Preston, professor of communication and advisor for the debate clubs at UNG's Dahlonega and Gainesville campuses, which comprise the unified UNG Debate Team. "Perennial Pi Kappa Delta powerhouse Southwest Baptist University claimed the national title. Prominent schools in the top 10 behind UNG included Wiley College in fourth place, Boise State University in fifth place, and the University of Southern Mississippi in ninth place."