Coaching Staff
Dave Arnett---Director of Debate
Dave is the Director of Debate at the University of Kentucky. He coached the 2019 national champions and the runners up on two separate occasions (2004, 2005). Dave has coached 14 teams to a top five national ranking. He was selected the Ross Smith National Coach of the Year in 2009 and voted runner-up for Coach of the 2000s. He was voted the 2015 American Debate Association coach of the year. He is the Director of five national college and high school tournaments including the Tournament of Champions which collectively bring over 3000 participants annually to the UK campus. Dave has spearheaded UK Debate’s international outreach effort which has included projects in China, Taiwan, and Vietnam.
Casey Harrigan---Associate Director of Debate
Casey is the Associate Director of Debate at the University of Kentucky. He won the National Debate Tournament in 2006 and has previously coached winners of the National Debate Tournament and Tournament of Champions. He has previously coached at Michigan State University, the University of Georgia, and Wake Forest University.
Lincoln Garrett---Head Debate Coach

Lincoln graduated from Liberty University in 2012 with a B.S. in history. During his senior he won the ADA national tournament, made it to the octafinals of the National Debate Tournament and was one of the eight teams to make it to the elimination rounds of every national tournament that year. Lincoln has coached debate since 2012 with his teams from Liberty and Kentucky making elimination appearances at every national tournament including the elimination rounds of the National Debate Tournament.
Linda Barker---Administrative Assistant

Linda began working in the UK Debate Office on September 25, 1989, just in time for her first Kentucky Thoroughbred Round Robin and Henry Clay Debate Tournaments. J. W. Patterson was the Director of Debate at that time. She has enjoyed becoming friends with the UK debaters through the years and still stays with touch with many of them.
Current Debaters
Sophia Dal Pra
Class of 2024
Hometown: Wooster, Ohio
Major: Political Science
Lex Barrett
Class of 2024
Hometown: Overland Park, KS
Major: Business Management
Saturn Kendrick

Class of 2021
Hometown: Chicago, IL
Lauren McBlain
Class of 2024
Hometown: Chicago, IL
Major: Political Science
Sulaiman Jamal
Class of 2023
Hometown: Aberdeen, SD
Major: International Studies
Marcus Williams
Class of 2022
Hometown: Chicago, IL
Major: Psychology
Alan Ivackovic
Class of 2023
Hometown: Skokie, IL
Major: Political Science
Chris Eckert
Class of 2023
Hometown: Dallas, TX
Major: Communications
Chris Lucas
Class of 2023
Hometown: Overland Park, KS
Major: International Studies
David Griffith
Class of 2024
Hometown: River Forest, IL
Major: Political Science
Jordan Di
Class of 2024
Hometown: Johns Creek, GA
Major: Political Science
Dash Weinhardt
Class of 2024
Hometown: Des Moines, IA
Major: Political Science