Baylor Debaters Advance to Sweet 16 in CEDA National Championship Tournament

The Baylor University debate team of Lorilei Lassen, a senior aviation sciences major from West Jordan, Utah, and Omar Darwish, a junior data science major from Upland, California, advanced to the octofinal round at the 2025 Cross Examination Debate Association (CEDA) National Tournament, held March 19-23 at Rutgers University-Newark. In the contest, which is one of two national tournaments held each year in cross-examination style debate, Lassen and Darwish won seven of the eight preliminary rounds, and were the No. 3 overall seed in the tournament before finishing in the Sweet 16. 

In addition, Lassen was chosen as the fourth best speaker overall in the tournament, while Darwish was chosen as the seventh best speaker. 

"I am so proud of this team, and it is always so gratifying to see all their hard work pay off at the end of the year," said Dr. Jeff Nagel, assistant professor of communication and director of Baylor's Glenn R. Capp Debate Forum. "This team did not start as partners at the beginning of the season, so their success is a testament to their hours of research and practice. This is the best Baylor has ever done at CEDA Nationals as far as I can tell, and our best showing at any national championship since also reaching the Sweet 16 at the 2018 National Debate Tournament. What is most exciting is that both of these debaters are coming back next year to build on this year's successes. This is an accomplishment, but it is also a sign of successes to come."

Also at the CEDA tournament, Baylor had four students named as "National Debate Scholars," recognizing them for a combination of academic and competitive success during the year. Baylor students receiving the title included Shahina Chatur (Summa Cum Laude, minimum 3.75 GPA), Lorilei Lassen (Magna Cum Laude, minimum 3.5 GPA), Anastasia Keeler (Cum Laude, minimum 3.25 GPA) and Isabella LoCicero (Honorable Mention, minimum 3.0 GPA).

Next month, two other debate teams from Baylor will represent the University at the 79th National Debate Tournament (NDT), to be held April 4-7, 2025, at Gonzaga University in Spokane, Washington.

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The College of Arts & Sciences is Baylor University’s largest academic division, consisting of 25 academic departments in the sciences, humanities, fine arts and social sciences, as well as 11 academic centers and institutes. The more than 5,000 courses taught in the College span topics from art and theatre to religion, philosophy, sociology and the natural sciences. The College’s undergraduate Unified Core Curriculum, which routinely receives top grades in national assessments, emphasizes a liberal education characterized by critical thinking, communication, civic engagement and Christian commitment. Arts & Sciences faculty conduct research around the world, and research on the undergraduate and graduate level is prevalent throughout all disciplines. Visit the College of Arts & Sciences website.