Policy Elimination Round Results - Minnesota State Debate Tournament (1977 - 2013)


The state tournament began to take on a form similar to today's in 1971. From the inception of the tournament in 1902 until 1945, the tournament looked similar to modern state tournaments in sports. Teams qualified for state through regional competition, which was usually single elimination. There were anywhere from six to ten regions, depending on the year. The number stabilized to eight in the early 1930s. The state tournament was single elimination, with debates usually held about a week apart at a venue of the host school's choosing.

Beginning in 1946, the tournament was held in a single location. Each team had a set number of rounds, and the winning school was simply the team with the most wins.

In 1971, elimination debates were restored to the tournament. Until 1993, with an exception of 1976, the elimination rounds began with octafinals. In 1976 and from 1994 to present, the top eight teams were advanced to the quarterfinals.

Until 1976, schools qualified as a unit, including both affirmative and negative teams. Beginning in 1977, the tournament began to use a switch-side format, and two-person teams qualified from each school. Schools were allowed to qualify up to two teams each year.

In 1977 and 1978, a total of 48 teams qualified, with 6 teams from each of 8 sections. Four preliminary rounds were held before the break to octafinals. Starting in 1979, the number of qualifying teams dropped to 32, with 4 teams from each section.

There have been several major changes since then. In 1983, the number of sections was decreased to 6, resulting in 24 teams qualifying for state. In 1994, the format changed to allow for six preliminary rounds, with a simultaneous elimination of the octafinal round. In 2003, the number of qualifiers from each section was dropped to 3, giving a total of 18 teams qualifying. In the same year, the number of preliminary rounds declined to five. The most recent change occurred in 2009, when the number of qualifiers was raised to 20, with 5 teams qualifying from each of 4 sections.

To ensure a basis for comparison, this table begins in 1977.

Note: This table can be sorted by any column except the last. Just click on the desired table header.

School Years Qualifying Number of Qualifiers Elimination Round Appearances Quarterfinal Appearances Semifinal Appearances Final Appearances Champions
Aitkin 4 4 1 0 0 0 0
Alexander Ramsey 7 10 6 3 3 0 0
Anoka 6 7 1 0 0 0 0
Apple Valley 17 25 10 8 4 3 1
Aurora-Hoyt Lakes / Biwabik 1 1 0 0 0 0 0
Barnesville 5 6 1 1 1 0 0
Blaine 4 6 0 0 0 0 0
Blake 28 44 25 21 10 7 5
Bloomington Jefferson 23 31 9 9 2 2 1
Brainerd 19 25 7 5 2 0 0
Breck 2 2 1 0 0 0 0
Cannon Falls 2 3 0 0 0 0 0
Chaska 16 27 18 11 7 3 2
Columbia Heights 2 2 0 0 0 0 0
Coon Rapids 13 15 6 2 2 1 0
Dassel-Cokato 3 5 0 0 0 0 0
Detroit Lakes 1 2 0 0 0 0 0
Duluth Central 12 14 8 2 2 1 0
Duluth Denfeld 6 6 3 1 0 0 0
Duluth East 1 1 0 0 0 0 0
Eagan 22 31 17 17 9 5 1
Eastview 4 6 1 1 1 0 0
Eden Prairie 6 9 6 6 0 0 0
Edina 21 37 24 20 13 7 3
Edina East 1 1 0 0 0 0 0
Edina West 5 10 8 4 3 2 1
Forest Lake 20 26 18 11 5 1 0
Frank B Kellogg 3 4 1 0 0 0 0
Grand Rapids 30 49 29 22 8 3 1
Hastings 1 1 1 0 0 0 0
Henry Sibley 17 23 17 12 5 2 1
Hibbing 2 2 0 0 0 0 0
Hopkins 13 19 9 2 0 0 0
Hopkins Eisenhower 1 1 0 0 0 0 0
International Falls 1 1 0 0 0 0 0
Lakeville 2 3 0 0 0 0 0
Luverne 2 2 2 0 0 0 0
Mankato East 12 14 4 0 0 0 0
Mankato West 33 55 19 9 3 3 1
Marshall 3 3 0 0 0 0 0
Marshall (Duluth) 2 2 0 0 0 0 0
Marshall-University 6 11 7 4 1 0 0
Mesabi East 3 3 3 3 2 1 1
Minneapolis North 1 1 0 0 0 0 0
Minneapolis Patrick Henry 2 2 0 0 0 0 0
Minneapolis South 14 20 10 10 4 0 0
Minneapolis Washburn 1 1 0 0 0 0 0
Minnetonka 3 3 2 0 0 0 0
Montevideo 4 4 1 0 0 0 0
Moorhead 10 14 2 2 1 0 0
Mounds Park Academy 5 5 2 0 0 0 0
New Ulm 1 1 0 0 0 0 0
Osseo 5 6 3 1 0 0 0
Richfield 6 6 1 1 0 0 0
Rochester John Marshall 1 1 0 0 0 0 0
Rosemount 23 31 11 9 4 1 1
Roseville 15 22 10 8 2 2 1
Saint Anthony Village 7 8 2 1 0 0 0
Saint Cloud Apollo 2 2 0 0 0 0 0
Saint Cloud Cathedral 5 8 1 0 0 0 0
Saint Francis 18 31 17 12 9 6 4
Saint Paul Academy 11 16 8 5 3 1 1
Saint Paul Central 9 14 6 6 5 3 0
Saint Paul Como Park 4 6 0 0 0 0 0
Saint Paul Highland Park 10 14 7 7 4 2 2
Saint Paul Johnson 4 4 2 2 0 0 0
Saint Thomas Academy 4 4 4 4 3 2 1
Simley 6 10 6 4 1 0 0
South Saint Paul 18 23 20 13 7 5 3
Stillwater 13 16 8 6 4 4 2
Virginia 1 1 0 0 0 0 0
Wadena 6 9 0 0 0 0 0
Walker 2 2 0 0 0 0 0
Wayzata 26 42 25 22 14 5 2
White Bear Lake 9 11 6 5 3 2 2
Willmar 3 4 0 0 0 0 0
Winona 3 4 1 1 0 0 0
Worthington 11 12 2 2 1 0 0