Source: Justin Green, 703-855-6177, jmgreen@k-state.edu.
Note to editors: Jordan Hanson is a graduate of Buhler High School; Tristan Tafolla is a graduate of Newton High School; Nikki Marcotte, is a graduate of Riley County High School; and Derek Ziegler is a graduate of Highland Park High School, Topeka.
News release prepared by: Megan Wilson, 785-532-6415, media@k-state.edu
Friday, Oct. 19, 2007
K-STATE DEBATE TEAM RANKED SECOND IN THE NATION AFTER STRONG START
MANHATTAN -- The Kansas State University debate team recently received a No. 2 national ranking following a strong showing by team members at the varsity, junior varsity and novice levels.
The rankings are distributed every three weeks and are awarded based on performance by teams at all three levels. K-State took first place at the junior varsity level, second place at the novice level and third place at the varsity level, according to Justin Green, director of the K-State debate team.
The debate season begins in the middle of September and lasts until the end of March. The K-State team has competed in two tournaments this season: the first at the University of Northern Iowa, Sept. 14-17; and the second at Missouri State University, Sept. 28-Oct. 1.
Teams of two individuals participate in each debate. Teams advance through several rounds of competition in each tournament. K-State had many teams at each level that advanced past elimination rounds at the Missouri State tournament. Two teams -- a novice team, which consists of members who have never participated in any form of debate before, and a junior varsity team, which consists of members who have started in novice and moved up or who have some high school experience -- advanced to the tournament finals.
David Magariel, instructor of speech communication, is assistant director of the team.
Students who participated at Missouri State, with results if advanced to elimination rounds, and graduate student coaches of the team, included:
Kara Thiele, senior in speech, Coffeyville, varsity octafinals.
From Manhattan: John Grice, freshman in political science, junior varsity first-place team and named the top individual junior varsity performer; Jordan Hanson, sophomore in philosophy, varsity semifinal round and named the 13th-place varsity individual performer; Nikki Marcotte, sophomore in philosophy, junior varsity quarterfinals.
From Manhattan, continued: Sarah Snider, graduate student in speech, a speech communication instructor and assistant debate team director; Dan Stout, graduate assistant in speech and assistant debate coach; Tristan Tafolla, senior in political science, varsity octafinals; and Derek Ziegler, freshman in political science, junior varsity semifinals.
Rafi Ahmadullah, sophomore in mechanical engineering, Newton, competed at the varsity level.
From Overland Park: Brett Farmer, junior in philosophy, competed at the varsity level; and Sarah Wyatt, sophomore in pre-professional secondary education, competed at the junior varsity level.
From Topeka: David Cohen, senior in management, competed at the varsity level; and Caitlin Reynolds, freshman in information systems, advanced to junior varsity quarterfinals.
From Wichita: Diante Calhoun, freshman in political science, junior varsity quarterfinals and named ninth-place junior varsity individual; and Ian Stinson, sophomore in economics, novice finals and named eighth-place novice individual.
From out-of-state:
Chelsea Good, senior in agricultural communications and journalism, Parker, Colo., novice finals and named ninth-place novice individual; James Thomas, graduate student in English, Roswell, Ga., assistant debate coach; Michael Chilton, freshman in chemistry, Seneca, Mo., competed at the junior varsity level; Alexis Robinson, junior in sociology, Fort Worth, Texas, junior varsity quarterfinals; Megan Harlow, graduate student in speech, Mount Holly, Vt., assistant debate coach; and Molly McGuire, freshman in political science, Milwaukee, Wis., junior varsity first-place team.