Copeland Award for Top First Round At-Large Team
On September 21, 1989 the life of Rex Copeland was brought to a sudden and tragic close. With its end Samford University lost an outstanding student, the forensic community lost an excellent debater and his many friends were deprived of the friendship and love of a fine individual person. Rex initiated his commitment to competitive debate during his years at Huffman High School in Birmingham. Each year saw ever greater growth, success and recognition. Indeed, by the conclusion of his junior collegiate season at Samford (1988-1989) there was no question that he had established himself as one of the finest debaters in the entire country. No doubt his senior year would have witnessed a distinguished culmination to an outstanding career. Many of us knew how much he eagerly anticipated it.
Word of his tragic death first reached many of the forensic community at the Northern Iowa University Tournament. That event, and many others subsequently conducted, were all marked by a sense of acute professional, and even greater personal, loss. For Rex was seen a respected foe and valued friend by many students and coaches alike on "the circuit."
It is in recognition of those rare professional and personal qualities which Rex offered that Samford University together with his parents determined to endow a permanent award in his name. Therefore, with the agreement of the NDT Board of Trustees and the NDT National Committee, the Rex Copeland Memorial Award will be presented annually to the collegiate debate team ranked "Number One" in the First Round, At-Large team selections. A perpetual plaque will also be established and engraved with the names of all past recipients.
"Rex's legacy is his joy of life, his good nature and warm personality make us forever remember him. Family and friends brought him happiness. Debate competition brought him honor among his peers.
"Few will have known Rex in a few years except through this Memorial Award. To those lucky enough to remember him, his love of life should be what we think of when his name is mentioned. To those who never knew him, know that his happiness came not from single-minded pursuits, but from a balance of hard work and play. Life is too short to forget those people and events that truly make a difference.
"The glory of humankind is to be well remembered. This award is for the few who achieve one of the highest honors in the debate community, so that they too will be well remembered."
| 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 |
1st - Harvard University - Michael Klinger & Nikhil Mirchandani 2nd - Cal Berkeley - Michael Burshteyn & Craig Wickersham |
| 2005 1st Northwestern University - Tristen Morales & Josh Branson 2nd Harvard University - Michael Klinger & Elliott Tarloff 3rd University of California, Berkeley - Stacey Nathan & Craig Wickersham 4th Michigan State University - Aaron Hardy & Shaun Vanhorn 5th University of California, Berkeley - Gaurav Reddy & Reid Shannon) |
2nd - Michigan State - Greta Stahl & David Strauss 3rd - Emory University -Casey Wolmer & Scott Phillips 4th - Harvard University - Michael Klinger & Elliot Tarloff 5th - University of Georgia - Naveen Ramachandrappa & H. Watson |
1st Northwestern University - Geoff Garen & Tristen Morales 2nd - Emory University - Josh Lynn & Scott Phillips 3rd - University of California, Berkeley - Stacy Nathan & Dan Shalmon 4th - Michigan State Greta Stahl & David Strauss 5th - Whitman College Thad Blank & Charles Olney |
| 2002 1st Dartmouth College - Alex Berger & Ben Thorpe 2nd Northwestern University - Jacob Foster & Jonathan Paul 3rd Michigan State University - Austin Carson & Calum Matheson 4th University of California, Berkeley - Stacy Nathan & Dan Shalmon 5th Whitman University - Thad Blank & Charles Olney |
| 2001 1st University of California at Berkeley - Randy Luskey & Dan Shalmon 2nd Wake Forest University - Wesley Lotz & Jarrod Atchison 3rd University of Iowa - Andy Ryan and Andy Peterson 4th Dartmouth College - Alex Burger & Adam Garen 5th Emory University - Kamal Ghali & Stephen Bailey |
3rd Emory University - Larry Heftman & Jeff McNabb 4th Michigan State University - Steve Donald & Aaron Monick 5th University of Kansas - Mike Eber & Grant McKeehan |
| 1999 - Northwestern University - Michael Gottlieb & Ryan Sparacino |
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| 1994- University of Kentucky - Paul Skiermont & Jason Patil |
| 1993 - Dartmouth College Ara Lovitt & Steven Sklaver |
| 1992 - Dartmouth College - Kenny Agran & Ara Lovette |
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| TOP FIRST ROUND TEAMS - (Prior to establishing the Copeland Award) |
Martin Loeber & Daniel Plants |
Ben Attias & Gordon Mitchell |
Griffin Vincent & Lyn Robbins |
Dan Povinelli & Mark Friedman |
David Bloom & Greg Mastel |
Leonard Gail & Mark Koulogeorge |
Melanie Gardner & Erik Walker |
Mark Gidley & Zack Grant |
Cy Smith & Mark Weinhardt |
James Kirkland & John Thompson |
Chris Wonnell & Susan Winkler |
David Ottoson & Tom Rollins |
David Ottoson & John Walker |
Robert Feldhake & Richard Godfrey |
Thomas Rollins & Bradley Ziff |
Charles Garvin & Greg Rosenbaum |
Stewart Jay & Bradley Ziff |