Allan Louden, Director louden@wfu.edu

Allan is an associate professor in the Communication Department, serving as the Director of Debate since 1977. He administers the program, and has steadily built the budget and participation. He has served as President of the American Forensics Association and Chair of the NDT Committee and was named National Coach of the year in 1988. He has also coached US debate tours of Japan and the Baltic States.
Profile 2005

Ross Smith, Debate Coach smithr@wfu.edu

Ross edits the Debaters' Research Guide directs the Summer Debate Workshops. He was named National Coach of the Year in 1994 and 1998, and District VI Coach of the Year in 2000. In Best of the Decade polling he was named Best Judge of the 1990's and Second Best Coach of the 1990's. He has qualified more teams to the elimination rounds of the National Debate Tournament than any other coach in the last decade. His teams have won every major intercollegiate invitational and round robin (except the "lose in semis or finals at Northwestern jinx").

JP Lacy
Associate Coach
lacyjp@wfu.edu

A former Assistant Coach, JP reached the elimination rounds of the NDT as a debater, directed teams to the eliminations at the NDT and coached a CEDA National Champion team at Whitman College.

Virginia Bannigan Administrative Assistant
Bannigva@wfu.edu

Virginia debated at Northwestern and UNC-CH. She has been working with Wake Debate for five years and is raising three cute kids, all the while keeping financial integrity and working as administrative director of the Summer Workshops.

Andrew Barnes
Assistant Coach,
barnad3@wfu.edu

Andrew debated at Clarion University in Pennsylvania. Andrew began debate in college and by the end of his career was an accomplished varsity debater. In 2003, Boston ADA Natoinals he was voted Julia Burke Award ("Mr. ADA") by participating squads

Samuel Maurer
Assistant Coach
maursa3@wfu.edu

Sam debated and coached at Emporia State University, Kansas. He qualified twice for the National Debate Tournament as a debater in 2001 and 2002 and coached a team to elimination rounds of the NDT in 2003.

Patrick Waldinger
Assistant Coach
waldpe3@wfu.edu

Patrick is from Erie, PA. He debated with and outstanding career at Catholic University in Washington, DC. His accomplishiments included National ADA Varsity champion and qualifying for the NDT twice.

Blake Abbott
Assistant Coach

Blake debated actively in national competition for four years at Mercer University. After a successful career debating, he spent a couple years as an assistant coach there, where he helped Mercer qualify two tems to the NDT for the first time in the school's history.

R.J. Green
Assistant Coach
greerj4@wfu.edu

R.J. debated at the University of Louisville from 2000-2004. R.J. reached the sweet sixteen at the 2001 Towson Novice Nationals, qualified for the NDT in 2004, and was 8th speaker at the 2004 CEDA National Tournament.