Kansas University debaters Sean Kennedy and Dylan Quigley earned a first-place finish at a prestigious debate tournament over the weekend.

Kennedy, a Leawood junior, and Quigley, a Wichita senior, won 12 debates over three days, including victories over the No. 2 team in the country from Harvard University.

The team also bested the nation’s top-ranked duo from Emory University in the tournament’s final round.

Going into the tournament, the KU debate squad was ranked fourth in the country in the coaches’ poll behind Northwestern, Emory and Harvard.

Kennedy and Quigley were the nation’s seventh-ranked team.