ESU debaters stack up awards in January
Members of the ESU Debate Team kept reeling in the trophies in three January contests.
Stephen James Moore of Emporia was named Debater of the Year by Baylor University at a ceremony held at the Glen R. Capp Debate Tournament Jan. 20 in Waco, Texas. The award is given every year by the Baylor University coaching staff, debate team, and alumni to a debater who exemplifies the best qualities in the community and should be held as a model to younger debaters.
"SJ enjoys national debate success, and still never forgets that there is more to a debater's career that just winning," said Matt Brigham, senior at Baylor and President of the Glenn R. Capp forum that chooses the award.
Moore has received numerous scholarships from ESU including the Shepard Scholarship, the Roe Scholarship in Communication and the AIDS Memorial Quilt Scholarship. He has coached debate at Emporia High School and is a full time member of the ESU Debate program. Stephen is a two-time qualifier for the National Debate Tournament, and 6th place finisher at the Cross Examination Debate Association (CEDA) National Tournament, and a two-time CEDA Academic All American Debate Team award winner.
Two weeks earlier, Moore and teammember Phil Samuels went undefeated at a major national tournament.
Moore and Samuels did not lose a single round on their way to a first place finish at the William Jewell College Debate Tournament Jan 4-6 in Liberty, Mo. The team defeated the University of Kentucky in Quarterfinals, Dartmouth in Semifinals, and the University of North Texas in the final round. Moore and Samuels both received speaker awards at the tournament as well.
The two debaters were also undefeated at the Mel Moorehouse Invitational at Wichita State University Sept. 20-22.
"To go undefeated twice in one year is incredible. It is the first time any team I've coached has accomplished that," said debate director Ken DeLaughder, "Phil and S.J. are debating extremely well, and this result is the work of all of their hard work day after day."
The William Jewell tournament was the first part of the "Kansas City Swing," a two tournament grouping of tournaments in the Kansas City area. The University of Missouri Kansas City hosted the second part of the swing on January 7-9.
The freshman team of Tiara Naputi and Austin Case took fifth place in the Varsity Division. David Register received 15th speaker. Moore and Samuels did not compete at UMKC due to a family emergency.
"It was hard not having the top team at the second tournament, but as had happened many times this year, a younger teamed stepped forward to shoulder the burden and was successful. Austin is a new student at ESU competing in only his second tournament, and Tiara has just started debating as a varsity member, to have two freshman do so well in the upper division says a lot about the future of this team. I was proud of their performance," added DeLaughder.
Also participating in the swing were Kelly Winfrey, Eli Crittenden , David Keller, Chad Woolard and Dustin Rimmey. The squad did not have a losing recond among them.
"I think this was a succcessful series of tournaments, to win half and have the freshmen step up and place at the other tournament sets a good precedent for the semester. I am proud of the team," said DeLaughder.
Last Updated July 2, 2007>