Why Regional Rankings Matter More Than You Think

# Why Regional Rankings Matter More Than You Think When debaters check their DPI ranking, they naturally look at the national number first. And while national rankings are great for bragging rights and college recruiting, **regional rankings** are where the strategic value lives for the vast majority of competitive debaters. ## The regional landscape The DPI divides the country into six regions: - **Northeast** (CT, DE, MA, MD, ME, NH, NJ, NY, PA, RI, VT) - **Southeast** (AL, AR, FL, GA, KY, LA, MS, NC, SC, TN, VA, WV) - **Midwest** (IA, IL, IN, KS, MI, MN, MO, ND, NE, OH, SD, WI) - **Southwest** (AZ, NM, OK, TX) - **West** (CO, ID, MT, NV, UT, WY) - **Pacific** (AK, CA, HI, OR, WA) Each region has a distinct debate culture. The Northeast is a PF and LD powerhouse. The Southwest, driven by Texas, dominates CX. The Midwest produces consistently strong programs across all events. Understanding your region's strengths and weaknesses is critical for strategic development. ## Why regional rankings are more actionable ### 1. You compete regionally first Before you reach TOC or NSDA Nationals, you have to qualify. Most qualification pathways are regional. If you are ranked 50th nationally but 5th in your region, you have a clear path to the biggest tournaments. Conversely, being 30th nationally but 12th in the Northeast -- the most competitive region for PF -- means qualification will be a dogfight. ### 2. Judge pools vary by region Regional tournaments draw from local judge pools. Judges in the Pacific region tend to be more progressive and open to non-traditional arguments. Midwest judges often prefer technical precision. Southeast judges frequently value persuasion and ethos. Knowing your regional judge tendencies helps you adapt. ### 3. Opponent preparation is regional You are going to see the same faces at regional tournaments. Being able to track how your regional rivals are performing -- who is on the rise, who you have already beaten, who you need to prepare specifically for -- is incredibly valuable. The DPI's regional filter makes this easy. ### 4. Recruiting happens regionally College debate programs recruit heavily from their geographic region. A debater ranked 8th in the Pacific region will attract attention from UC Berkeley, Stanford, and USC even if their national ranking is outside the top 50. ## New feature: Regional Leaderboards We have added dedicated regional leaderboard views to the DPI platform. You can now filter any rankings page by region to see: - Top debaters in your region by event - Top schools in your region - Regional DPI distribution compared to the national average - Head-to-head records between regional rivals ## The bottom line National rankings are the headline. Regional rankings are the playbook. Use both, but do not sleep on the regional data -- it is where your next tournament win is hiding.