Kentucky Debate partnership earns automatic NDT bid, sets school record

University of Kentucky Intercollegiate Debate members David Griffith and Jordan Di have received one of the coveted 16 first-round bids to the 2024 National Debate Tournament hosted by Emory University in April.

This year’s bid marks the ninth consecutive year that at team from UK has earned an automatic bid to the national tournament, a new school record. UK’s previous record was eight automatic bids between 1984-1991.

Each year, the top 16 teams in the country are ranked by a National Debate Tournament committee and awarded an automatic bid. David Griffith becomes the second debater in UK history to receive four first-round bids. He joins T.A. McKinney who accomplished this feat from 1988-1991. Jordan Di joins a select group of three-time first-round bid recipients.