Debaters Finish in National Top 10

Members of the Truman State University Forensic Union closed their season on a high note, placing 10th in National Tournament Sweepstakes at the 2007 Championship Tournament of the National Parliamentary Debate Association (NPDA) March 22-25 at Colorado College in Colorado Springs, Colo.

This marks the 10th consecutive year that Truman has placed in the top-10 nationally in Championship Tournament Sweepstakes, Season-Long Sweepstakes or both.

Three Truman teams placed in the elimination rounds at the tournament, continuing a nine-year streak of students representing Truman in the double-octafinals or better.

The team of Trevor Alexander, a senior economics and English double major from Gladstone, Mo., and Stefani Wittenauer, a senior communication and political science double major from Belleville, Ill., ranked among the top 32 out of the 238 teams at the tournament.

A second team including Sara Archer, a senior accounting major from Riverside, Mo., and Keith Schnakenberg, a senior communication and political science double major from Buffalo, Mo., reached the triple-octafinals.

Finally, the team of Christopher Girouard, a communication and political science double major from Chesterfield, Mo., and Kevin Haynie, a sophomore political science major from Bridgeton, Mo., made their elimination round appearance in the quad-octafinals.

In addition, Wittenauer was awarded the NPDA Academic All American Award at the competition. She was one of only six students nationally to receive the honor, which recognizes students with a strong debate history, an impressive grade point average and involvement in extra-curricular activities and community service.
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