Coaching Staff
The 2012/2013 debate season brings a fresh regime to K-State as the new Director and
Assistant Director integrate into and build the team. Both new coaches are very excited
about this process, as discussed in a press release detailing their arrival.
Joe Koehle | Director
E-mail: jkoehle@k-state.edu
Campus Phone: 785-532-6863
Campus Address: 137 Nichols Hall
Education
M.A. Kansas State University
B.S. University of West Georgia
Joe has enjoyed success both as a debater and a coach in the 15 years he has been involved in debate. As a high school debater in Pennsylvania, Joe won top speaker at the state tournament by what is still a record margin and was in deep elimination rounds of many tournaments. In 2003 he coached a team to both the finals of the CFL and NFL high school national tournaments, and has previously worked at the Jayhawk Debate Institute at the University of Kansas and the National Debate Institute at the University of Maryland.
As a college debater Joe was a rare 4 time NDT qualifier, making it to the elimination rounds three times, and received a first-round at large bid to the NDT (ranking 9th in the country) his final year of debate. Since then Joe has coached for the University of West Georgia, Kansas State University and the University of Kansas, with his teams seeing competitive success at every major national circuit tournament and both the NDT and CEDA national tournaments. Mostly recently he helped coach K-State to the CEDA national championship in 2011 and helped two KU teams reach the sweet sixteen of the National Debate Tournament. Joe returns to K-State eager to continue the tradition of excellence that has brought K-State and the Manhattan community multiple national championships in academic debate.
Martin Osborn | Assistant Director
E-mail: mtosborn1@k-state.edu
Campus Phone: 785-532-6914
Campus Address: 138 Nichols Hall
Education
M.A. Wake Forest University, Communication
B.A. Missouri State University
Martin has been focused on debate for over a decade and is excited to return to the Midwest debate circuit with an eye on national results. As an undergraduate a few hundred miles away at the Missouri State University, Martin qualified to the National Debate Tournament four times, receiving a first-round at large bid his final season. He was also recognized as the Top Speaker at his final NDT as well as the national tournament held by the Cross-Examination Debate Association. As a college coach, Martin has helped to bring competitive success to his alma mater as well as Wake Forest University, where he earned an advanced degree while coaching the team.
Punctuating his high school debate career in Wyoming, Martin represented Cheyenne East High School at the National Forensics League annual tournament (placing 7th overall) and the Tournament of Champions held in Lexington, Kentucky (the first and only time Wyoming debaters have qualified for the event). Martin has also led labs at multiple summer debate institutes for high school students including those hosted by Stanford, the University of Michigan, and the University of Missouri-Kansas City. Martin has also coached a number of successful high school teams including New Trier Township (Chicago, IL) and the Carrollton School of the Sacred Heart (Miami, FL).