|
|
|
|
 |
|
GROVE CITY COLLEGE DEBATERS RANKED NO. 19 IN NATION |
|
|
|
|
January 08, 2008
GROVE CITY, Pa. – In only its second year of competition in parliamentary debate, the Grove City College Speech and Debate Team is ranked No. 19 in the country by the National Parliamentary Debate Association, one of the largest intercollegiate debate associations.
Grove City ended the fall with 61 points after competing in only three tournaments, the fewest number of any top-20 school. The rankings account for the top four scores turned in by each school. Previously, Grove City focused on Lincoln-Douglas debate competitions.
The team wrapped up the semester with a No. 1 placing at the Tennessee Porch Swing tournament at Carson-Newman College Nov. 9-10, with wins in the debate and overall sweepstakes. Three of the five Grove City teams advanced to elimination rounds.
Freshmen Daniel Hanson of Danville, N.H., and Kelsey Winther of Modesto, Calif., won their semifinal round with a 3-0 judges’ decision, as did the team of senior Renae Smith of Sterling, Va., and sophomore Luke Juday of Chesapeake, Va. Freshmen Alex Pepper of Centreville, Pa., and Harrison Ealey of Brecksville, Ohio, were quarterfinalists, with Pepper winning fourth place speaker award. Hanson ranked as sixth speaker in the tournament.
In individual speaking events, Juday, Winther and Smith qualified for finals in extemporaneous speaking and Pepper and sophomore Mai-Khanh Gunther of Marlton, N.J., advanced in impromptu speaking.
Earlier in the semester, Grove City sent five debate teams to Berea College’s John G. Fee Memorial tournament Oct. 13, placing first in the debate sweepstakes against more than 50 teams. Overall, Grove City finished first out of comparably sized schools and second out of 13 schools.
The team of Juday and Smith reached the top 16 competition at the varsity level, with Juday winning the fourth place speaker award for the entire tournament. Juday and Smith also both reached the finals in extemporaneous speaking, placing second and fourth respectively.
Of the top four novice teams in the entire tournament, three were Grove City teams. Winther and Hanson won the tournament by a unanimous judges’ decision after posting a 5-1 performance in the preliminary debates. Winther won the top overall novice speaker. Junior Patrick Weeks of Racine, Wis., and freshman Dayne Batten of Cary, N.C., were the top novice team coming out the preliminary debates with a record of five wins and one loss. Ealey and Pepper placed third overall.
At the Richard M. Weaver Debate Tournament at Hillsdale College Oct. 26-27, Grove City tied for first place overall in sweepstakes with Hillsdale after sending three of the eight teams to the quarterfinals, with two advancing to the semifinals.
Three students won speaker awards: Winther earned first place, Ealey posted a fourth place finish and Juday was ninth.
The team will compete in three more tournaments, rounding out the year at nationals. The Speech and Debate Team is coached by Drs. Steven Jones and Jason Edwards.
| |
|
|
|
|
Print Page