Buckhead's Pace Academy Debate Team Wins National Tournament

The Pace Academy debate team of Clyde Shepherd, left, and Tanner Lewis, right, recently won the University of Michigan Tournament.

Staff Report

Over the weekend of Nov. 7, Pace sent five Upper School debate teams to participate in the University of Michigan Tournament, one of the country’s most prestigious competitions. Of 160 teams entered, the team of seniors Tanner Lewis and Clyde Shepherd defeated a very competitive Westminster Schools team in the tournament finals to notch the overall victory with a 12-0 record.

The team of senior Arielle Levin and junior Reid Funston finished 6-1 in the preliminary rounds and won their first elimination debate, earning their first bid to the Tournament of Champions before losing in the round of 16. Funston, ranking 16th out of 320 debaters, also took home an individual award.

Three other Pace teams had excellent showings. The senior team of Jeri Brand and Erin Rawls finished 5-2, narrowly missing the cut for elimination debates due to tiebreakers. The sophomore team of Jack McMillin and Will Movsovitz finished 4-3, and the sophomore team of Jake Movsovitz and Misha Andra-Thomas finished 3-4.