Andrew Markoff Breaks 33-Year-Old Record to Become Winningest Debater in Bronx Science History

This weekend, Andrew Markoff, president of the National Forensic League chapter at the Bronx High School of Science, won his 390th debate round, breaking the thirty-three-year-old win count record of the Bronx Science Speech & Debate Team. The title of winningest Bronx Science debater was previously held by Steve Gold, who ended his four-year debate career with 389 wins in 1977.

Alongside Policy Debate partners Regan Bozman (class of 2009) and Zack Elias (a fellow current senior), Andrew has won or debated the final round at most of the nation's most prestigious tournaments, including the Harvard University National Invitational in Massachusetts (twice), the Justin G. Wilson Debates at Pace Academy in Georgia (twice), the Georgetown Invitational in the nation's capital, the Blake School's John Edie Holiday Tournament in Minnesota, the Southern Bell Forum at Montgomery Bell Academy in Tennessee, the Greenhill Fall Classic in Texas, and the St. Mark's Heart of Texas Invitational. He and his partners have also taken titles of major local and regional competitions, such as the Ridge Debates in New Jersey (twice), the Newark City Invitational in New Jersey, and the Regis Winter Classic in Manhattan. Andrew was also a New York State Champion as a freshman. As a junior, and in a one-time guest appearance in the world of Lincoln-Douglas debate, Andrew won the competitive Scarsdale Invitational in New York. In addition to these victories, Andrew has been ranked as the top individual speaker at some of the most competitive tournaments in the region and the nation; he is the first Bronx Science debater to ever place as top speaker at Emory University's prestigious Barkley Forum for High Schools in Georgia.

Just a few weeks ago, Andrew and Zack became the first Bronx Science debaters ever to win the elite Harvard University Round Robin, which precedes the school's National Invitational.

Having accumulated 1,604 NFL points, Andrew holds the Degree of Premier Distinction. He is a two-time national qualifier and an NFL Academic All-American.

The forensics program at the Bronx High School of Science was established in 1969; the team received its charter in 1971. Bronx Science has been consistently ranked among the top ten NFL chapters in the country for the past few years.

Assistant Principal Damaris Fernandez, Coach Jon Cruz, Andrew Markoff, and Principal Valerie Reidy