Congratulations to ninth grade debaters Collin Chan, Ophelia Cherry-Pulay, Caroline Keiper, Rhea Nachnani, Zinnia Nichols Loller, Ellie Rothman, Lexi Straus, and Siddhi Voona for an outstanding start to their high school debate careers.
By Bill Wilson, HS Debate Coach
USN's first year debaters started their season this weekend virtually and rocked the Marist Ivy Street Invitational. All four teams in competition reached the elimination round Saturday night, Sep. 25. Three USN teams claimed a co-championship in the division.
Ophelia Cherry-Pulay '25 and Ellie Rothman '25 finished preliminary competition with a 4-1 record, good for the second seed in the bracket. They won their elimination round in a 3-0 decision over Alpharetta HS (Georgia). Ophelia and Ellie earned the first and second place speaker awards in the division.
Lexi Straus '25 and Rhea Nachnani '25 finished with a 3-2 record, good for the eighth seed where they met the ninth seeded USN team of Collin Chan '25 and Caroline Keiper '25 (3-2). Lexi, Collin, and Rhea claimed the fourth, seventh and ninth place speaker awards in the division, respectively, while closing out one slice of the bracket. Zinnia Nichols Loller '25 and Siddhi Voona '25 finished 3-2, also. As the 13th seed they lost their elimination round to Montgomery Bell Academy.
What a fine start to these debate careers — looking forward to watching what this group can accomplish together.
Ninth graders Collin Chan, Ophelia Cherry-Pulay, Caroline Keiper, Ellie Rothman, and Rhea Nachnani pose for a pre-debate picture on the day of the Marist Ivy Street Invitational.
After winning one of the most competitive mock trial districts in the country, USN headed to the State Tournament and turned in another strong performance.
What began as an eighth-grade initiative has evolved into a powerhouse sport. The Ultimate Frisbee team, now a launchpad for talent with many alumni playing in college, draws national attention at the annual River Campus Classic hosted at University School of Nashville. Guided by dedicated alumni coaches, the boys and girls teams consistently win state championships, embodying a legacy of excellence and innovation.
USN Mission: University School of Nashville models the best educational practices. In an environment that represents the cultural and ethnic composition of Metropolitan Nashville, USN fosters each student’s intellectual, artistic, and athletic potential, valuing and inspiring integrity, creative expression, a love of learning, and the pursuit of excellence.