Glenville State University’s Pioneer Debate Team recently competed in the National Educational Debate Association’s “Fall Flyer Fling” at the University of Dayton. The tournament, held November 15-16, featured over 80 competitors from schools such as Wayne State, University of Dayton, Ball State, Capital University, Slippery Rock University, Oberlin College, IMSA North, and Glenville State.

Pioneer Debate’s Alena Gray, a freshman biology major, and Graylin Floyd, a senior psychology major, secured 2nd place in the highly competitive Crossfire Division. This marked the second tournament for Alena Gray, a native of Glenville, WV.

“The whole tournament was so much fun, but it wasn’t easy by any stretch of the imagination,” Gray said. “Our hard work paid off and it’s evident in our placing. I encourage anyone who has any amount of interest in debate to just try it.” Although the team lost to Oberlin College in the finals, they earlier defeated Oberlin and ended with a record of 8-1. Freshman education major Johnathan Hornbuckle also participated, competing in six Novice Rapid-Fire debates. It was Hornbuckle’s first tournament, achieving an impressive average score of 26 out of 30 points and a 3-3 record.

Graylin Floyd, GSU Student Government Association representative and midfielder for GSU soccer, impressed the tournament with her 1st Place Speaker finish. According to Pioneer Debate Director and Coach Dr. Brian Johnston, “This tournament was not merely competitive, it was record-breaking competitive given the number of teams involved. I knew she was good. But I didn’t think anyone could do what she did in only her second tournament and against this caliber competition.” Floyd will graduate from GSU in May 2025, planning to conclude her undergraduate career as a Pioneer Debater in the spring tournaments.

“I loved that Alena and I were able to showcase our potential,” Floyd said. “To say the least, I am super proud of our team. This tournament showed us that we are very capable of debating against tough competition.”

Earlier this month, Pioneer Debate competed in NEDA’s Fall Online Tournament. This event featured 47 competitors from six universities, including Penn State, Grove City College, University of Dayton, Wayne State, Oberlin, and GSU. Floyd achieved a fourth-place team finish with a 3-1 record in the Novice Rapid-Fire division. Alena Gray tied for fifth in individual points. It was Floyd’s first debate experience, alongside her participation in GSU’s soccer team.

“My first experience debating was exciting. For the first time in my life, I got to argue with someone in a situation where no one for the most part was mad at me!” Gray said. She emphasized the spirit of healthy competition, stating, “Not only did I learn how important it is to deliver your best facts, but also, at the end of your match when you and your opponent are just two people and not competitors anymore, how fun it is to hear feedback and agree on what a good match it had been.”

Pioneer Debate will host the NEDA National Championship Tournament on April 4-5 during the spring 2025 semester. “Last year’s hosting of our first tournament at GSU’s campus was the most meaningful professional experience of my career,” Johnston said. “We don’t have the resources that the bigger schools, like Penn State and Wayne State have, but we have something they don’t have: Pioneer Pride.” Johnston, in his third year as Assistant Professor of Communication at GSU, noted the community’s support, with faculty, staff, students, and local residents volunteering to organize and produce the event.

“We need your help again for our second annual Pioneer Holler Debate Tournament,” Johnston said. “Let’s go.”

Dr. Brian Johnston and Dr. Josh Squires coach GSU’s first debate team in 25 years. Pioneer Debate seeks funding for travel to tournaments. Contact GSU VP of Advancement David Hutchinson by email at David.Hutchison@glenville.edu or phone at 304-462-6381 to support Pioneer Debate.

Pioneer Debate is a co-curricular competitive debate team in the Department of Language and Literature at Glenville State University. It provides students with skills in critical thinking, civil listening, argumentation, and creative problem-solving through weekly meetings, competitive debates, and campus events. Participation is open to all GSU students.

The National Educational Debate Association is an academic debate circuit serving the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States.