Debate snags trophy from rival school
Jancy Nightingale
Issue date: 2/4/10 Section: News
Hillsdale's Debate and Forensics teams returned to campus 5 a.m. Monday, after an eventful weekend making history at Webster University's tournament in St. Louis.
Among the many successes, Hillsdale debate team snatched up first sweepstakes from Western Kentucky University, who's won the trophy over the past five years.
"It was a great team effort," Ian Blodger, a freshman said.
Assistant Professor of Speech, Jeremy Christensen said this was also the first time in our college's history winning sweepstakes at that large of a venue. He added that the event was the largest non-national tournaments in history, hosting 54 debate teams and 78 forensic debaters.
"In the end, outside of last year's national tournament championship, I would have to rank this as the greatest debate achievement to date in the college's history," Christensen said.
Another overall accomplishment included Hillsdale originally tying with Creighton University for overall tournament champion that came down to quality points, putting Creighton first and Hillsdale second.
Blodger said every Hillsdale team advanced to elimination rounds, going 5-1 in preliminaries. Blodger and junior Jake Morgan advanced to semi-finals, but fell to a highly national ranked team on a 2-1 decision.
On the novice side, the team of sophomore Stephen Davis and freshman Nathan Leville took first.
Hillsdale racked up the following seven individual speaker awards: junior Olivia Wolcott received third in Open debate, sophomore Josiah Hersey came in seventh and sophomore Trevor Anderson followed in eighth, and senior Bryan Leonard took 18th. Leville received fourth in novice and Davis followed with fifth.
In Lincoln-Douglas debate, Christensen said the team advanced five of its six entries.
The Forensics team gathered up points and recognition as the top Pi Kappa Delta chapter, the debate and forensics honorary, at the tournament.
"It shows we're doing a good job," Assistant Director of Forensics, Matthew Warner said of the award.
Five individuals placed in several categories, seniors Katherine Martin and Kaelynn Van Buren received sixth in Dramatic Intrepretation Duo and took second in Improvised Dramatic Pairs. Junior Joshua Herring and sophomore Blake Faulkner placed fifth in Improvised Dramatic Pairs.
Warner said all the students qualified for the final round in their respective events, which, he added, is an accomplishment in itself, and also qualifies your for the National Forensics Association National Tournament.
Among the many successes, Hillsdale debate team snatched up first sweepstakes from Western Kentucky University, who's won the trophy over the past five years.
"It was a great team effort," Ian Blodger, a freshman said.
Assistant Professor of Speech, Jeremy Christensen said this was also the first time in our college's history winning sweepstakes at that large of a venue. He added that the event was the largest non-national tournaments in history, hosting 54 debate teams and 78 forensic debaters.
"In the end, outside of last year's national tournament championship, I would have to rank this as the greatest debate achievement to date in the college's history," Christensen said.
Another overall accomplishment included Hillsdale originally tying with Creighton University for overall tournament champion that came down to quality points, putting Creighton first and Hillsdale second.
Blodger said every Hillsdale team advanced to elimination rounds, going 5-1 in preliminaries. Blodger and junior Jake Morgan advanced to semi-finals, but fell to a highly national ranked team on a 2-1 decision.
On the novice side, the team of sophomore Stephen Davis and freshman Nathan Leville took first.
Hillsdale racked up the following seven individual speaker awards: junior Olivia Wolcott received third in Open debate, sophomore Josiah Hersey came in seventh and sophomore Trevor Anderson followed in eighth, and senior Bryan Leonard took 18th. Leville received fourth in novice and Davis followed with fifth.
In Lincoln-Douglas debate, Christensen said the team advanced five of its six entries.
The Forensics team gathered up points and recognition as the top Pi Kappa Delta chapter, the debate and forensics honorary, at the tournament.
"It shows we're doing a good job," Assistant Director of Forensics, Matthew Warner said of the award.
Five individuals placed in several categories, seniors Katherine Martin and Kaelynn Van Buren received sixth in Dramatic Intrepretation Duo and took second in Improvised Dramatic Pairs. Junior Joshua Herring and sophomore Blake Faulkner placed fifth in Improvised Dramatic Pairs.
Warner said all the students qualified for the final round in their respective events, which, he added, is an accomplishment in itself, and also qualifies your for the National Forensics Association National Tournament.
Viewing Comments 1 - 2 of 2
Joy Pavelski
posted 2/04/10 @ 6:22 PM EST
This is MONUMENTAL. WKU are the most annoying debaters in the Hillsdale circumfrence--rude, slap-and-dash, arrogant, etc. Yes, I'm sure a bunch of Wiki kids are really nice. (Continued…)
Joel Schelhammer
posted 2/05/10 @ 10:31 PM EST
Love that the debate team is doing well (so glad to see it's back to former levels), but I'd urge Coach Christiansen to review the team's history a bit more closely. (Continued…)
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