KU debaters qualify for the National Debate Tournament


LAWRENCE — Senior Melanie Campbell and sophomore Amanda Gress have qualified to represent the University of Kansas at the National Debate Tournament, which will be March 28-April 2 in Ogden, Utah. It is the 46th consecutive year that KU has qualified for the National Debate Tournament.  They qualified for the NDT by winning five of six debates at the Midwest region qualifying tournament, which was Feb. 22-24 in Edmund, Okla.

At the regional qualifier Campbell and Gress, both of Overland Park, defeated Baylor University, Kansas State University, the University of North Texas, the University of Missouri-Kansas City and Wichita State University. Their lone defeat was to Missouri State University. It is the second consecutive year that Campbell and Gress have qualified for the National Debate Tournament.  Last year they were the only team of two women to qualify for the national tournament. 

The National Debate Tournament has been the national championship tournament of intercollegiate policy debate since 1947. The top 78 teams in the country qualify to attend the NDT through regional qualifying tournaments. KU has won the NDT five times and advanced to 14 final fours. Last year KU had one team advance to the Elite Eight, and a second team reached the Sweet 16. This year’s debate topic is about federal government strategies for increasing domestic energy production of coal, natural gas, nuclear, oil, solar or wind.

Mon, 02/25/2013

 

Media Contacts

Erinn Barcomb-Peterson

KU News Service

785-864-8858