The Kansas University debate team of Sion Bell, freshman, Laurel, Md., left, and Quaram Robinson, sophomore, Round Rock, Texas, took second place in the National Debate Tournament, which had its national championship round Monday night in Binghamton, N.Y. Bell-Robinson — which entered this year’s tournament as the 17th-ranked team in the country — was the sixth KU team to reach the championship debate at the tournament.

Runners-up at the National Debate Tournament.

A freshman and a sophomore — non-male, and one of them black.

Who entered the tournament seeded only 17th.

“It’s a phenomenal performance by two phenomenal students who went on a run that is historic,” Kansas University debate director Scott Harris said. “It’s just kind of amazing.”

KU debaters Quaram Robinson and Sion Bell arrived home Tuesday with a hefty traveling trophy, after four days of debate culminating with Monday night’s championship round in Binghamton, N.Y.

The Kansas University debate team of Sion Bell, freshman, Laurel, Md., left, and Quaram Robinson, sophomore, Round Rock, Texas, took second place in the National Debate Tournament, which had its national championship round Monday night in Binghamton, N.Y. Bell-Robinson — which entered this year’s tournament as the 17th-ranked team in the country — was the sixth KU team to reach the championship debate at the tournament.

Unlike most of the (largely white male, senior-class and higher-seeded) competitors at the tournament, Robinson and Bell didn’t write thank-you speeches in advance, they said. But they pulled one together after realizing they were really on a roll.

Just like the NCAA men’s basketball championship bracket, low seeds at the National Debate Tournament don’t start out facing other low seeds. Brackets are organized so they face higher-ranking teams first.

“We had to really push, push, push,” Robinson said. “When we kept winning we just kept looking at each other and being like, OK…”

“…Let’s debate,” Bell said.

Here’s more on Robinson, Bell and how they pulled off their feat.

About Robinson: Sophomore from Round Rock, Texas, majoring in African-American studies. After graduation, Robinson hopes to attend graduate school, either for African-American studies or law school.

About Bell: Freshman from Laurel, Maryland, majoring in anthropology. Bell hopes to eventually get a doctorate in biological anthropology and work for someplace like the Smithsonian.

This year’s debate topic (aka “resolution”): The United States should significantly reduce its military presence in one or more of the following: the Arab states of the Persian Gulf, the Greater Horn of Africa, Northeast Asia.

Robinson-Bell’s debate style: “You could call us critical debaters,” Robinson said, running arguments based in the literary field of afro-pessimism. No, it’s not what you would call traditional.

How often they travel to tournaments: Two (sometimes more) weekends a month, coast to coast. The competitive debate season lasts nearly the entire school year.

Who beat them in the National Debate Tournament championship: Harvard University.

Who they beat to reach the championship: Teams from University of Southern California, George Mason University, University of California-Berkeley, Wake Forest University, Trinity University, Northwestern University, Emory University and University of Michigan.

Milestone achievements: Since National Debate Tournament rankings began in 1973, Robinson-Bell is the first team not seeded in the top 16 to compete in a championship round, according to KU. They are only the second team of two non-males to debate in the final round. And Robinson is the first black woman to ever compete in the final round. They were the sixth KU team to reach the championship debate.

What they think about that: “Wow,” said Bell, adding “awe” at partner Robinson being the first black woman in the championship.

Robinson said she didn’t have much time to dwell on that mid-tournament, but it hit her afterward when she heard from younger black women on the high school debate circuit.

“Their reactions sort of shaped mine,” she said. “It was awesome to feel like I carved a path.”

On whether they’re staying together next year: Probably. That is, as long as both of them decide to debate again next year — and both are still weighing that.

Whether they like next year’s topic, yet to be announced, will be a factor. So will their class schedules. Competitive debate is intense, and weekend travel makes it difficult to pull off any Monday or Friday classes.

Plus, they said, it’s going to be hard to top what they achieved this year.