This weekend, MTSU’s Blue Raider Debaters will host their first tournament on campus in nearly a decade, drawing teams from across the country to compete in an event honoring a former teammate.

The 2012 Naveen “Scott” Pejaver Memorial Debate Tournament, set Oct. 19-21 in the Business and Aerospace Building, is a “double debate-till-you-drop” competition, according to Dr. Patrick Richey, team coach and director of forensics.

“Universities and colleges from as far away as Oregon will be on campus to debate National Parliamentary Debate and International Public Debate formats,” said Richey, who also is a professor of communication studies in the Department of Speech and Theatre.

“It is an honor for MTSU to host this large event, and the Blue Raider Debaters have worked hard to insure this is a memorable event for MTSU and the collegiate debate community.”

Pejaver, a popular MTSU senior involved in debate and theatre who also served as president of the university’s Intercollegiate Debate Association chapter, passed away unexpectedly in 1997 at his home in Memphis. His family established a memorial scholarship in his name that funds textbooks for debate students.

MTSU’s debate team, founded with the university in 1911, was revamped in 2011. It immediately began recruiting members and hosting special debate events on campus and participated in 11 tournaments in five states during the 2011-12 academic year.

The Pejaver Memorial Debate Tournament kicks off at 2:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 19, with registration and judges’ training and concludes Sunday afternoon, Oct. 21, with final competitions and awards.

You can learn more about the team at www.mtsu.edu/debate. Details on this weekend’s tournament are available at www.mtsu.edu/debate/MTSU%20Tournament.php.

— Gina E. Fann (Gina.Fann@mtsu.edu)