The McKendree University debate and individual events team was re-established in 1995 by Dr. Richard Hunsaker, who had previously served as debate coach at Belleville West High School for over thirty years.  The debate and individual events team enjoyed a great deal of success under the leadership of Dr. Hunsaker, winning national championships in both parliamentary debate and individual events, until his retirement in 2003.  In 2003, Joe Blasdel, McKendree alumnus and former debate and individual events team member, succeeded Dr. Hunsaker as coach of debate and individual events at McKendree.

Over the past thirteen years, McKendree has had a great deal of success, from individual championships to program sweepstakes victories.  Below, some of the more impressive accomplishments are noted.

McKendree has won eighteen Pi Kappa Delta National Championships:

• 1999, Adam Jenkins in prose interpretation
• 2000, Mike Artime and Morgan Hudson in novice parliamentary debate
• 2003, John Dawson and Sara Trask in novice parliamentary debate
• 2004, Sarah Haefner and Mark Wonnacott in junior parliamentary debate
• 2004, Sarah Haefner in junior parliamentary debate speaking
• 2006, Sarah Haefner in public debate
• 2006, McKendree University in debate sweepstakes
• 2007, Samantha Leonard in junior Lincoln-Douglas debate
• 2007, Erin Conner in impromptu speaking
• 2007, Erin Conner on All-American team
• 2007, McKendree University in debate sweepstakes
• 2008, Steve Loftus and Courtney Logan in varsity parliamentary debate
• 2008, Cory Freivogel in varsity Lincoln-Douglas debate
• 2008, Josie Wiegel in junior Lincoln-Douglas debate speaking
• 2008, Erin Conner in public debate
• 2008, Samantha Leonard in public debate speaking
• 2008, Erin Conner in impromptu speaking
• 2008, Erin Conner in individual sweepstakes
• 2008, McKendree University in debate sweepstakes

McKendree has had nine teams advance to final rounds at the National Parliamentary Debate Association Championship Tournament:

• 1998, Joe Blasdel and B.J. Yurcisin, triple octofinals
• 1998, Adam Jenkins and Chad Kaffer, double octofinals
• 1999, Adam Jenkins and Chad Kaffer, double octofinals
• 2000, Ryan Anderson and Chad Kaffer, triple octofinals
• 2004, Sarah Haefner and Mark Wonnacott, quad octofinals
• 2006, Josh Johnson and Jeff Jones, quad octofinals
• 2007, Ashley Dunning and Mark Wonnacott, quad octofinals
• 2007, Cory Freivogel and Samantha Leonard, triple octofinals
• 2008, Cory Freivogel and Samantha Leonard, double octofinals

McKendree has had four teams finish in the National Parliamentary Tournament of Excellence Top Fifty:

• 2004-2005, Sarah Haefner and Mark Wonnacott, 40th place
• 2005-2006, Steve Loftus and Paul Woodruff, 46th place
• 2006-2007, Cory Freivogel and Samantha Leonard, 34th place
• 2007-2008, Cory Freivogel and Samantha Leonard, 23rd place

McKendree has had four teams attend the National Parliamentary Tournament of Excellence:

• 2006-2007, Cory Freivogel and Samantha Leonard, 17th place
• 2006-2007, Steve Loftus and Mark Wonnacott
• 2007-2008, Cory Freivogel and Samantha Leonard, 4th place
• 2007-2008, Steve Loftus and Courtney Logan, 22nd place

McKendree has had eighteen events qualify for the American Forensic Association national individual events tournament:

• 1997, Adam Jenkins in prose
• 1997, Adam Jenkins in poetry
• 1997, Adam Jenkins in drama
• 2006, Erin Conner in prose
• 2006, Erin Conner in persuasion
• 2006, Erin Conner in informative speaking
• 2006, Erin Conner in communication analysis
• 2007, Erin Conner in extemporaneous speaking
• 2007, Erin Conner in impromptu speaking, semifinals
• 2007, Erin Conner in persuasion
• 2007, Erin Conner in informative speaking
• 2007, Erin Conner in communication analysis
• 2008, Erin Conner in extemporaneous speaking, semifinals
• 2008, Erin Conner in impromptu speaking, semifinals
• 2008, Erin Conner in persuasion, quarterfinals
• 2008, Erin Conner in informative speaking
• 2008, Erin Conner in communication analysis, finals (6th place)
• 2008, Erin Conner in individual sweepstakes (20th place)
• 2008, Erin Conner on All-American team
• 2008, Courtney Logan in persuasion

McKendree has had ten events advance to elimination rounds at the National Forensic Association national tournament:

• 2006, Jeff Jones in Lincoln-Douglas debate, double octofinals
• 2007, Erin Conner in extemporaneous speaking, semifinals
• 2007, Erin Conner in impromptu speaking, quarterfinals
• 2007, Erin Conner in informative speaking, quarterfinals
• 2007, Erin Conner in communication analysis, quarterfinals
• 2007, Cory Freivogel in Lincoln-Douglas debate, octofinals
• 2007, Mark Wonnacott in Lincoln-Douglas debate, octofinals
• 2008, Erin Conner in extemporaneous speaking, semifinals
• 2008, Erin Conner in impromptu speaking, quarterfinals
• 2008, Erin Conner in informative speaking, semifinals 

The McKendree debate and individual events has been proud to be represented by many fine individuals throughout its history.  Below is a list of those people who competed on the team for at least two years, by year of graduation:

• 1999 - John Garner, Adam Jenkins, Michelle (Jackson) Peck, and B.J. Yurcisin
• 2000 - Joe Blasdel, Jana (Fischer) Brady, Melanie (Smith) Jenkins, Chad Kaffer, Jennifer (Franz) Stratton,
• 2001 - Ryan Anderson, Darius Miller, and Erica Smith
• 2003 - Mike Artime
• 2005 - Elizabeth Hazzard
• 2006 - John Dawson, Ryan Diefenbach, Sarah Haefner, Jason Luitjohan, and Sara Trask
• 2007 - Andrea Knoll, Nell Novara, Mark Wonnacott and Paul Woodruff
• 2008 - Jon Brown, Erin Conner, Josh Johnson, Steve Loftus, and Courtney Logan