Buchheit and Rothermel Place Twice in Debate Marathon
Six students from the Truman State University Forensic Union participated in a three-day marathon of two back-to-back 12-round debate tournaments Jan. 11-13 in Denver hosted jointly by Regis University, the University of Utah and the University of Denver. Ninety-three two-person teams converged on Denver for one of the largest varsity-level debate competitions in the country.
Mark Buchheit, a sophomore history major from Carthage, Mo., and Dylan Rothermel, a senior economics major from Homewood, Ill., reached the second round of single-elimination competition (the “double-octafinals”) in both tournaments. Their teammates, junior Chris Girouard, a junior communication major from Chesterfield, Mo.; Sara Archer, a senior accounting major from Riverside, Mo.; Dylan Clark, a freshman political science and philosophy and religion double major from Maryland Heights, Mo.; and Sarah Backhaus, a freshman political science major from Liberty, Mo.; also posted strong performances at both tournaments but were narrowly-edged out of the intense single-elimination competition.
“This tournament was colossal,” said Kevin Minch, director of forensics. “To put it in perspective, it claims to be the only tournament in the last several years-excepting nationals--that has needed to clear over 32 teams to the single-elimination rounds just to honor the tradition of advancing all teams with winning records.”
The tournament pitted most of the top programs in the two large parliamentary debate leagues-the NPDA and NPTE.
The presence of the national championships at the nearby Air Force Academy this March increase the draw of the competition.
Truman forensics students travel next to the Gorlok Gala, hosted by Webster University, Jan. 25-27 and the United States Air Force Academy Falcon Invitational, Feb. 7-10.
The Forensic Union is open to all interested Truman students. For more information, contact Kevin Minch at kminch@truman.edu or visit the Web site at http://forensics.truman.edu.
Mark Buchheit, a sophomore history major from Carthage, Mo., and Dylan Rothermel, a senior economics major from Homewood, Ill., reached the second round of single-elimination competition (the “double-octafinals”) in both tournaments. Their teammates, junior Chris Girouard, a junior communication major from Chesterfield, Mo.; Sara Archer, a senior accounting major from Riverside, Mo.; Dylan Clark, a freshman political science and philosophy and religion double major from Maryland Heights, Mo.; and Sarah Backhaus, a freshman political science major from Liberty, Mo.; also posted strong performances at both tournaments but were narrowly-edged out of the intense single-elimination competition.
“This tournament was colossal,” said Kevin Minch, director of forensics. “To put it in perspective, it claims to be the only tournament in the last several years-excepting nationals--that has needed to clear over 32 teams to the single-elimination rounds just to honor the tradition of advancing all teams with winning records.”
The tournament pitted most of the top programs in the two large parliamentary debate leagues-the NPDA and NPTE.
The presence of the national championships at the nearby Air Force Academy this March increase the draw of the competition.
Truman forensics students travel next to the Gorlok Gala, hosted by Webster University, Jan. 25-27 and the United States Air Force Academy Falcon Invitational, Feb. 7-10.
The Forensic Union is open to all interested Truman students. For more information, contact Kevin Minch at kminch@truman.edu or visit the Web site at http://forensics.truman.edu.
