Kansas University debate coach Scott Harris has been named Coach of the Year by the National Debate Tournament.

Last year, he received the George Ziegelmueller Award, given for excellence at coaching and teaching debate.

Harris has coached the KU team for 16 years. His teams have qualified for the National Debate Tournament every year, advancing teams to the elimination rounds in 12 of 15 years, including Final Four appearances in 1994 and 1998.

Harris came to KU in 1991 from the University of Louisville, where he had been head debate coach from 1984 to 1991. He was an assistant coach at Northwestern University, Evanston, Ill., from 1981 to 1984 while working on his doctorate in communication studies. He received bachelor’s and master’s degrees in communication studies from Wayne State University, Detroit.

Harris is the second KU debate coach to earn Coach of the Year honors. Donn Parson, who coached KU debate for 24 years beginning in 1964, was named national Coach of the Year in 1971, 1980 and 1981 and Coach of the Decade for the 1970s.