Debate at UTD
The intense nature of intercollegiate debate combined with the quality of students attracted and the inherent educational process of competitive debate, offers students unparalleled opportunities to enhance their academic experience, their professional skills and their interpersonal relationships.
Read about the Team
How does the UT Dallas Debate Team qualify for the National Debate Tournament year after year? It starts with the students’ willingness to spend long hours of research preparing for competitions. Read the story
The 2024-25 team got off to an excellent start in its first three national tournaments. Read the News Center story
Debate at a Glance
- Established in 1996.
- Top 25 debate program in Texas.
- Home to two National Debater of the Year winners (Brian Rubaie & Anthony Ogbuli).
- Competed in National Debate Tournament (NDT) and Cross Examination Debate Association (CEDA) national tournament.
Tournaments
- We host the Fear and Loathing in Dallas debates, bringing hundreds of college debaters from across the country to our campus for six days of intense debates.
- We co-host the UT Dallas Public Debate series, focusing on important political and campus issues, fostering campus discourse and engagement.
Join the Team
The UT Dallas Debate Team is open to any undergraduate student at UT Dallas who is officially enrolled and in good academic standing.
Debate Scholarships
Debate scholarships are a competitive process, with scholarship applications reviewed on a rolling basis. Scholarship decisions are typically announced by April 15 each year. We recommend that you complete your scholarship application as early as possible. Scholarship applications received after April 1 will not receive priority review.
Please email Scott Herndon with any questions about the scholarship process and award availability.
Staff
Scott Herndon
Director of Debate
Scott Herndon joined The University of Texas at Dallas Debate Program in 2002 as head coach and became director in 2012. In that time, UT Dallas has qualified for the National Debate Tournament (NDT) 11 years in a row, been awarded multiple first round at-large bids, received invitations to the Kentucky and the Dartmouth Round Robin competitions, and reached the quarterfinals of the NDT in 2010 and the elimination debates of Cross Examination Debate Association (CEDA) nationals for eight consecutive years (2003-2012). An experienced instructor and judge, he has been a debate camp instructor at The Comet Debate Institute, the University of Missouri Kansas City, The World Debate Institute, Baylor University, University of North Texas and the University of Kansas. Scott was recognized as the CEDA Southwest Region Critic of the Year in 2004 and 2009.
B.A., The University of Kansas
M.A., Kansas State University
Erik C. Mathis
Assistant Director of Debate
Prior to joining UT Dallas in 2019, Erik C. Mathis held multiple positions at Emory University, working with the Atlanta Urban Debate League (AUDL) and coaching students at the middle school, high school and college levels.
Mathis coached many of Emory’s novice teams from their first days in debate to winning records and tournament victories. He also worked with Emory’s varsity program, coaching 15 teams to the National Debate Tournament (NDT) — including seven first-round teams.
He previously was a volunteer for Georgia State University and worked at AUDL camps.
Contact Us
Scott Herndon
Director of Debate
Email: scott.herndon@utdallas.edu
Phone: 972-883-4806
Mailing Address
The University of Texas at Dallas Debate Team, FO 56
800 W. Campbell Road
Richardson, TX 75080-3021