March 26, 2007
Bowling
Green, Ky. - Western Kentucky University debaters won the National Parliamentary Debate Association National Tournament last weekend.
In just its second year at the tournament, WKU won the sweepstakes championship followed by Point Loma Nazarene University, Washburn University, Texas Tech University and Western Washington University. Last year, WKU finished third.
The NPDA is the largest intercollegiate debate association in the United States and had 995 teams competing in the March 23-26 tournament at Colorado College in Colorado Springs. WKU sent eight debate teams to the NPDA event.
“For our students, who are relatively new at this type debate, to have won first is astounding,” said Judy Woodring, forensic director. “We made history at NPDA by having the largest number of teams from any one school to advance to break rounds. In three short years we went from a third-place finish last year to first.”
Woodring credited debate coach Glenn Prince, a former national champion, with bolstering WKU’s parliamentary debate teams. But she added that the WKU debaters were motivated by a questionable ruling in the National Parliamentary Tournament of Excellence March 17-18.
“The team of Thomas Schally and Joelle Perry was ranked number one for the majority of the season and to have lost on a very questionable decision by a judge caused many teams to rally behind WKU this past weekend,” she said.
WKU, which recently won its eighth International Forensic Association title and its 17th consecutive Kentucky Forensic Association championship, will seek to repeat as national champions in two more upcoming events: the American Forensic Association National Individual Events Tournament April 6-9 at Minnesota State in Mankato, Minn., and the National Forensic Association National Tournament April 19-23 at Berry College in Rome, Ga.
Results from the NPDA National Tournament are as follows:
Joseph Allen, a sophomore from Boise, Idaho, quarterfinalist in parliamentary debate (with Rachel Mosley), sixth debate speaker.
Rachel Mosley, a sophomore from Lake Tahoe, Calif., quarterfinalist in parliamentary debate (with Joseph Allen), 18th debate speaker.
Kasey Gardner, a senior from Simi Valley, Calif., octofinalist in parliamentary debate (with Keyon Shokraie), 22nd debate speaker.
Keyon Shokraie, a senior from Somis, Calif., octofinalist in parliamentary debate (with Kasey Gardner), 42nd debate speaker.
Adam Heugel, a junior from Rosenburg, Texas, octofinalist in parliamentary debate (with Jessica Furgerson).
Jessica Furgerson, a freshman from San Antonio, Texas, octofinalist in parliamentary debate (with Adam Heugel).
Joelle Perry, a senior from Florence, triple octofinalist in parliamentary debate (with Thomas Schally), seventh debate speaker.
Chad Meadows, a junior from Owensboro, triple octofinalist in parliamentary debate (with Lauren Nelson), 35th debate speaker.
Thomas Schally, a junior from Stillwater, Minn., triple octofinalist in parliamentary debate (with Joelle Perry), 23rd debate speaker.
Lauren Nelson, a sophomore from Wheaton, Ill., triple octofinalist in parliamentary debate (with Chad Meadows), 14th debate speaker.
Elizabeth Mullins, a freshman from Plymouth, Mass., triple octofinalist in parliamentary debate (with Logan Parke).
Logan Parke, a freshman from Little Rock, Ark., triple octofinalist in parliamentary debate (with Elizabeth Mullins).
Brian Bloss, a sophomore from Coppell, Texas, triple octofinalist in parliamentary debate (with Barry Fields).
Barry Fields, a senior from Bowling Green, triple octofinalist in parliamentary debate (with Brian Bloss).
More WKU news is available at www.wku.edu. If you’d like to receive WKU news via e-mail, send a message to WKUNews@wku.edu.
For information, contact Judy Woodring at (270) 745-6340.
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