Rashad Evans
Director and Coach

 

Rashad Evans is fresh off of coaching the only college debate team to ever win both the National Debate Tournament (NDT) and Cross Examination Debate Association (CEDA) national championships in the same season.  In addition, to coaching the undisputed 2013 college debate champions, Mr. Evans was the private coach for two debaters from Bronx School of Law & Government, leading that team to the semi-finals of the Harvard HS Debate tournament, quarterfinals of the National Debate Coaches Association (NDCA) Championship, the championship at the Lakeland HS Debate Tournament, and a top 10 finish at the Tournament of Champions. 
 

Mr. Evans is the new Director of Debate at UC-Irvine where he is also a PhD student.  Mr. Evans has successfully coached both high school and college debaters and across all levels of debate including novice, junior varsity and open.  Mr. Evans has previously coached at Western Connecticut State University, University of Florida, Rutgers University, Emporia State University and the University of West Georgia.  He has also taught at many of the nation's top summer debate camps, including Columbia University, Wake Forest University, Emory University, University of Michigan, and UMKC. 

 

As a competitor, Mr. Evans was a national champion debater at the University of West Georgia, winning the CEDA National Debate Championship as a sophomore in college.  He also reached the semifinals of the NDT and the late elimination rounds of all major college debate tournaments.  While in college, Mr. Evans was selected by the American Debate Association to train high school and college debaters in Russia, Romania, Ukraine and Moldova.  As a high school debater, Mr. Evans was named the best individual speaker at the prestigious Barkeley Forum debate tournament at Emory University.

 

In between winning a national championship and coaching a national championship, Mr. Evans attended and graduated from the University of Pennsylvania Law School, where he was also a legal writing instructor.  He practiced corporate law for several years in New York City and now brings this depth of expeience and training to the classroom and debate tournaments, making him irreplacable.

 

Mr. Evans' coaching philosophy emphasizes both disciplined and creative thinking.  Students are encouraged to choose arguments and speaking styles that best suit them.  However, the basic requirements of hard work, research and critical thinking will always be maintained.  The goal is to win debates, but Mr. Evans ensures that the students learn and have fun in the process!

 

 

Coaching Highlights

College

2014 NDT Quarterfinalists

2013 CEDA & NDT National Debate Champions

2013 NE Ceda Regional Champions

2013 JV Nationals Quarterfinalists

2012 NDT Quarterfinalists

2012 ADA & CEDA Novice Quarterfinalists

2012 JV Nationals Semifinalists

2012 CSU Fullerton Debate Tournament Novice Runner-Up

2011  James Madison Debate Tournament Novice Champions

2009 UT-Dallas Debate Tournament Novice Finalists

2009 West Georgia Debate Tournament JV Champions

 

High School

2014 Harvard Finalists

2013 TOC Octafinalists

2013 Harvard Debate Tournament Semifinalists

2013 Lakeland HS Debate Tournament Champions

2012 Georgeown, Bronx HS, Scranton Tournament Octafinalists

Assistant Coaches

 

Vito Perez, UCI

Damiyr Davis, UCI

Natalie Stolarski, CSU-Fullerton