Saint Mary’s Debate Triumphs at Golden Gate Opener: Team Wins First Place and Nabs Top Speaker Awards

The Saint Mary’s Macken Debate and Speech Team opened the season with impressive victories at the Golden Gate Opener at San Francisco State University, including a first-place finish in the National Parliamentary Debate Association (NPDA) event. Adrian Lossada and Jasper Pacheco won the Open division, while Rose Velasquez captured the top speaker award, highlighting the team’s skill and quick thinking in this dynamic format, where topics change with each round.

In the final round, Lossada and Pacheco faced Solano Community College, arguing for the topic “China is the biggest long-term threat to the United States.” Solano’s team debated against them, claiming that climate change posed the greatest long-term threat to the U.S., but Lossada and Pacheco effectively countered this by pointing out that China, as the world’s largest carbon emitter, significantly drives climate change itself. Lossada strengthened the team’s arguments by drawing on insights from his Saint Mary’s climate change class with Professor Joel Burley. This persuasive approach won over all three judges, securing first place. Additionally, Lossada ranked 5th among all Open division speakers, with Pacheco close behind in 8th.

Other team members also excelled. Rose Velasquez and Emma Owen reached quarterfinals, with Velasquez earning the top speaker award and Owen placing 4th in the Open division. Ava Peters and Ethan Farrell, initially entered in the Junior Varsity division, rose to the challenge of competing in Open, where they won two of their four debates, narrowly missing the breakout rounds.

Gavin Hussain and Luis Mora also won two out of four debates, including a compelling argument against the resolution “The United States federal government should prioritize funding for space exploration and colonization initiatives.”

Saint Mary’s novice teams—Matt Rodriguez & Jessiah Jones and Aubrey Bonham & Malena “Rosie” Romero—each earned a win in their rounds, gaining valuable experience in the NPDA format. Molly Floberg showcased her talents in individual events, competing in both Prose and After Dinner Speaking. Sam Goodman contributed by judging for the team as a student judge.

A total of 23 schools from four different states participated in the Golden Gate Opener, creating a competitive environment that fostered learning and skill-building for all involved.

This promising season opener sets a high standard for the team. Coach Andrea Brown praised the students’ resilience, teamwork, and dedication, stating, “I’m incredibly proud of how the team worked together and am excited to see how they build on this success in upcoming tournaments.”

For more information about the Saint Mary’s Macken Debate and Speech Team or if interested in joining the team, please contact Coach Brown (alb11@stmarys-ca.edu).

Go Gaels!