WUDL 2022 End of Year Awards: Teams

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Coach Yigletu with the 2022 Sweepstakes Cup Winning BASIS DC Debate Team, held by Middle School National Champions Lockwood/Mazumdar
The Washington Urban Debate wrapped up season 2021 – 2022 on a high note with our end of year awards. These awards are given out to students, coaches, schools, and volunteers that have demonstrated consistent excellence across the entire season. Some are selected by WUDL staff or determined by competitive records, while others are elected by their peers (WUDL Student Choice Awards), or elected by our judges (WUDL Judge’s Choice Award). 

WUDL Sweepstakes Cup: BASIS DC

Given to the team that has the best season across all of our tournaments. Points are awarded via a formula based on wins by a schools highest performing teams at any particular tournament. Wins are weighted by division, so winning in Varsity is worth more points than winning in Novice (its harder!). 

This year’s winner, BASIS DC, is a second year program coached by teacher Messai Yigletu (more on him later). Messai had one of the league’s best Varsity teams, (Alex is off to Yale in the Fall), two incredible middle school teams (including National Champions Sitara Mazumdar and Violet Lockwood), and also had a number of other strong debaters who won a lot of trophies and showed a lot of growth and development in Novice / JV this year. Our second largest squad, BASIS DC only had one senior, and is poised to be the team to beat next season too. 

High School Team of the Year: Benjamin Banneker High School

Banneker was our first Sweepstakes Cup Winner, and has re-emerged as a powerhouse across all three divisions. They have freshman who participate in our Travel Team, and Coach Arndt also supports debate as part of the curriculum at Banneker. They are a team on the rise that we hope will keep BASIS DC honest next season. 

Middle School Team of the Year: Stuart Hobson

Last year, Stuart Hobson was the first Middle School team in WUDL history to win the Sweepstakes Trophy, and they kept up with BASIS DC until February this year. The league’s largest team, Coach Plaisted is a recruitment wizard, and has some great support from Ass. Coach Caliguire. The pair received last year’s Coach of the Year Award. They have a number of strong debaters poised to compete in all three divisions next year, and also lead our emerging Elementary School Debate Initiative. 

WUDL Student Choice Awards: High School Team of the Year: Roosevelt

The Roosevelt Debate Team, led by juniors KesUraNu Baylor, Damilola Folorunso, and Precious Njoku and Coach Adilah Wutoh-Baylor, has been a league powerhouse for many years. While juggling a number of AP courses and other responsibilities, they are one of the strongest squads across the league, known for their strong scholarship and research and student leadership. 

WUDL Student Choice Awards: Middle School Team of the Year: Montgomery Village

Coach Fortuna led Greenbelt Middle School to the Final round of Middle School Nationals. Now he’s led Montgomery Village to qualify in back to back seasons, even as the competition has gotten much fiercer. Regardless of where he’s coaching, there will be a team with dedicated, talented debaters who are winning trophies and making creative arguments. Coach Fortuna’s students were leaders in argumentative creativity this year, focusing on anthropocentric ethics on this year’s Water topic. 

Stay tuned for more write ups about our End of Year Awards later this week!