Eric Lanning currently serves as an assistant coach for the UH Honors Debate program. Prior to his role, Eric held positions as the program coordinator for the University of Texas and academic director of the National Speech and Debate Association of China.
As a competitor, Eric boasts remarkable achievements, including winning the National Debate Tournament and achieving the second individual speaker and second overall seed twice. He is a two-time recipient of a first-round at-large bid to the NDT and ranked third in the Copeland award for season-long excellence. Throughout the regular season, Eric clinched victories at the prestigious Kentucky Open tournament and round robin, while also securing top speaker awards at both events.
Beyond his competitive success, Eric brings decades of coaching experience at the highest levels of policy debate. He has played a pivotal role in coaching numerous national champions, including consecutive winners of the Tournament of Champions and recipients of the Baker Award for season-long excellence. Eric's students have attained victory at nearly every major national tournament, including Greenhill, the Glenbrooks, Emory, and Harvard tournaments. Additionally, at the college level, Eric has coached multiple first-round teams, NDT semifinalists, and CEDA national champions.
For nearly 20 years, Eric has been a dedicated instructor at various summer debate institutes, including the Houston Urban Debate League, University of Texas, Michigan State University, Stanford, and Gonzaga. His former students have achieved success at both the Tournament of Champions and the National Debate Tournament.