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Cornell Novice Nationals 2026

2026-02-14 · United States, In person · BP

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The field

Below Average

A smaller or newer tournament. Good for building confidence and getting reps.

58 teams (This edition), 69 teams (2025), 49 teams (2024), 60 teams (2022), 82 teams (2021)

Motions

Cornell Novice Nationals 2026 (2026)9 motions
  • Round 1This House regrets the prominence given to celebrity endorsements of US politicians and political parties.
  • Round 2This House believes that the animal rights movement should prioritize the welfare of domesticated animals (e.g., livestock, pets, and laboratory animals) over the conservation of wildlife (e.g., endangered species and habitat preservation).
  • Round 3This House believes that countries with emerging economies should actively discourage the formation of primate cities.
  • Round 4This House would implement a system of tradable individual carbon quotas to replace all existing carbon taxes on consumer goods.
  • Round 5This House prefers a world in which techno-pessimism, rather than techno-optimism, is the dominant attitude.
  • QuarterfinalsThis House regrets Mexico’s reform that made all judges elected rather than appointed.
  • SemifinalsThis House believes that post-conflict democracies should implement lustration policies against former regime officials.
  • Rookie FinalsThis House would prefer to be born as a city mouse rather than a country mouse.
  • Grand FinalThis House prefers to love wholeheartedly rather than cautiously.

What gets set here

Politics33%
Social & Identity33%
Economics11%
Environment11%
Technology11%

Sign in to see how your strengths match this tournament’s topics.

Practice Politics motions ›Read: Generating arguments

You vs this tournament

What gets set here, next to how you have scored on each category across your own imported rounds.

  • Politics · 33% of motions hereno rounds on record yet
  • Social & Identity · 33% of motions hereno rounds on record yet
  • Economics · 11% of motions hereno rounds on record yet
  • Environment · 11% of motions hereno rounds on record yet
  • Technology · 11% of motions hereno rounds on record yet

This week's plan

Built from what this tournament sets most. Import more tabs and this plan tunes itself to your weak spots.

0 of 7 done. Ticks save on this device.

Breaking here

28% of teams break

Teams usually guarantee their break on 10 points.

Break on speaks? Average at least 77.1.

Last edition: 16 of 58 teams broke.

~??% estimated break chance
??.?–??.? estimated speaker score

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Break categories

This tournament runs a separate break for each category. From the most recent edition:

  • Novice break16 teams
  • Rookie break4 teams

How scoring works here

74.9 avg speaker score

Most speakers land between 72.6 and 77.3.

This is 0.9 points above tournaments of similar calibre.

What finishing high has taken:

Top speaker pace 80.4

Top-10 pace 78.0

Top-20 pace 77.0

Median average speaks at each finishing spot, across 1 edition.

Comparable: Macau Debate Open 2026 (75.6), QMUL Open 2026 (72.9)

Top speeches

The highest individual speaker scores recorded at this tournament.

DebaterSpeechMotionScore
🇺🇸 Sarah L.MOThis House prefers a world in which techno-pessimism, rather than techno-optimism, is the dominant attitude.84
🇺🇸 Vincent Y.OWThis House prefers a world in which techno-pessimism, rather than techno-optimism, is the dominant attitude.83
🇺🇸 Vincent Y.DLOThis House would implement a system of tradable individual carbon quotas to replace all existing carbon taxes on consumer goods.82
🇺🇸 Avni C.DLOThis House prefers a world in which techno-pessimism, rather than techno-optimism, is the dominant attitude.82
🇺🇸 Sarah L.LOThis House would implement a system of tradable individual carbon quotas to replace all existing carbon taxes on consumer goods.82
🇺🇸 Michael K.LOThis House prefers a world in which techno-pessimism, rather than techno-optimism, is the dominant attitude.82
🇺🇸 Michael K.MOThis House would implement a system of tradable individual carbon quotas to replace all existing carbon taxes on consumer goods.82
🇺🇸 Advika S.MGThis House believes that countries with emerging economies should actively discourage the formation of primate cities.81
Jason L.MGThis House prefers a world in which techno-pessimism, rather than techno-optimism, is the dominant attitude.81
🇺🇸 Dennis L.GWThis House would implement a system of tradable individual carbon quotas to replace all existing carbon taxes on consumer goods.81
🇺🇸 Sullivan H.DPMThis House would implement a system of tradable individual carbon quotas to replace all existing carbon taxes on consumer goods.81
Jason L.MGThis House believes that the animal rights movement should prioritize the welfare of domesticated animals (e.g., livestock, pets, and laboratory animals) over the conservation of wildlife (e.g., endangered species and habitat preservation).81

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