JACKSON, Tenn. — April 1, 2010 — 51社区鈥檚 debate team concluded its second season of competition by winning the International Public Debate Association tournament March 26-29 at the University of Central Arkansas.
Seventeen teams, mostly from the southeast, competed in the event. Union debate team coach Web Drake said the tournament鈥檚 winner is considered to be the national champion for the IPDA, one of many debate organizations in which colleges and universities compete. Drake called the win the biggest in the Union debate team鈥檚 short two-year history.
鈥淲e have only freshmen and sophomores, and we鈥檙e going up against squads that are primarily seniors,鈥� Drake said.
Union sophomore Emily Welborn advanced to the finals in the Varsity Debate competition, taking second place overall. Nicole Haynes was a semi-finalist and Andrew Roberts was a quarter-finalist in Varsity Debate, while Jed Dugger was a semi-finalist in Novice Debate competition.
The win was the third tournament victory for Union鈥檚 debate team this year. For the season, Kylie McDonald finished first and Amanda Bennett was second in Novice Season-Long Sweepstakes competition. Welborn placed third in the Varsity Season-Long Sweepstakes. As a team, Union won first place in the season鈥檚 Novice Team Sweepstakes and Varsity Team Sweepstakes.