Debate team endures, gives solid performance
Jancy Nightingale
Issue date: 10/22/09 Section: News
Within 14 rounds in 72 hours, the Hillsdale College debate team overcame endurance obstacles with solid performances in two of their most difficult tournaments of the season, taking 3rd and 2nd sweepstakes overall and coffee mugs as proof of their success.
Assistant Professor of Speech Jeremy Christensen said 15-20 of the top debate teams in the country were present at the tournament at McKendree University Oct. 9-11, and Hillsdale rose to the challenge, making it a pretty close debate.
Junior Liv Wolcott said the tournament attracted good competition and showcased great varieties of debate styles.
"We did not expect to do as well as we did," Wolcott said. "We were expecting there to be significant challenges."
Also unexpected, but more light-hearted, were the coffee mugs rewarded to recognized individuals and teams.
"Sign of the times. Economy's bad and trophies are expensive," Wolcott said with a laugh.
Wolcott competed in 16 rounds, adding up to about 20 hours total of debate, and was rewarded third speaker overall in the Lincoln-Douglas individual debates.
In the first parliamentary debates Wolcott and partner junior Will Cooney won four out of five rounds, and advanced to quarterfinals, due to a walk-over decision that kept the team of junior Jake Morgan and freshman Ian Blodger from advancing farther than the octofinals.
"It was a sacrifice for the team, but I was willing to make it," Blodger said.
This was Blodger's first open debate tournament, which he compared to a three-day marathon.
Senior partners Alexandria Carraher and Bryan Leonard also took four out of five rounds, qualifying for the octofinals, with a 2-1 decision ending their advancement.
For the next competition, Hillsdale will host the Third Annual Richard M. Weaver Memorial Tournament Oct. 30-31. Christensen said he hopes it will be one of the largest debate tournaments east of the Mississippi river, with teams from Kentucky, Ohio, Illinois, Indiana, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.
"It's a nice complement to the college that they'd even come."
The competition will take place in the Lane and Kendall Halls starting at 4 p.m. Friday and 8 a.m. Saturday.
Volunteers are still needed to help run the tournament. Anyone interested can e-mail Christensen at jchristensen@hillsdale.edu.
Assistant Professor of Speech Jeremy Christensen said 15-20 of the top debate teams in the country were present at the tournament at McKendree University Oct. 9-11, and Hillsdale rose to the challenge, making it a pretty close debate.
Junior Liv Wolcott said the tournament attracted good competition and showcased great varieties of debate styles.
"We did not expect to do as well as we did," Wolcott said. "We were expecting there to be significant challenges."
Also unexpected, but more light-hearted, were the coffee mugs rewarded to recognized individuals and teams.
"Sign of the times. Economy's bad and trophies are expensive," Wolcott said with a laugh.
Wolcott competed in 16 rounds, adding up to about 20 hours total of debate, and was rewarded third speaker overall in the Lincoln-Douglas individual debates.
In the first parliamentary debates Wolcott and partner junior Will Cooney won four out of five rounds, and advanced to quarterfinals, due to a walk-over decision that kept the team of junior Jake Morgan and freshman Ian Blodger from advancing farther than the octofinals.
"It was a sacrifice for the team, but I was willing to make it," Blodger said.
This was Blodger's first open debate tournament, which he compared to a three-day marathon.
Senior partners Alexandria Carraher and Bryan Leonard also took four out of five rounds, qualifying for the octofinals, with a 2-1 decision ending their advancement.
For the next competition, Hillsdale will host the Third Annual Richard M. Weaver Memorial Tournament Oct. 30-31. Christensen said he hopes it will be one of the largest debate tournaments east of the Mississippi river, with teams from Kentucky, Ohio, Illinois, Indiana, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.
"It's a nice complement to the college that they'd even come."
The competition will take place in the Lane and Kendall Halls starting at 4 p.m. Friday and 8 a.m. Saturday.
Volunteers are still needed to help run the tournament. Anyone interested can e-mail Christensen at jchristensen@hillsdale.edu.
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