ESU debaters qualify for nationals

Emporia State University has qualified for the National Debate Tournament after a strong performance at the District III qualifying tournament at the University of Central Oklahoma in Edmond February 28 and 29.

Senior debater David Register of Abilene, Texas and sophomore Chris Loghry, sophomore of Cheyenne, Wyo. defeated teams from Southwest Missouri State University, and the University of Oklahoma to qualify.

"To qualify for this tournament is an honor,” said ESU debate director Ken DeLaughder. “The best teams from Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Missouri were all in attendance, and every single round was tough. If you don't want to go to the big dance, you don't even show up to this one.”

"David and Chris had a couple of early losses, and a team without their experience could have called it quits,” he continued. “They fought hard and won four-in-a-row to qualify," continued DeLaughder, "They showed the heart of real veterans at the highest level of competition."

Assisting the team as scouts and researchers were junior Kelly Winfrey of Raymore, Mo. and sophomore Tiara Naputi of Peculiar, Mo.

"I think the scouts got three hours of sleep a night, and the coaching staff didn't sleep all weekend," said head coach James Taylor. "This was a total squad effort with everyone contributing. Even the debaters who weren't at the tournament did research at home overnight and emailed it in that morning for the team debating."

"Our squad motto: Hornets sting in swarms was what got David and Chris over the top," he said.

An ESU team first made it to semifinals at the first National Debate Tournament in 1951 at West Point. The squad continues a 53 year association with the tournament, qualifying teams in every decade since its inception, as well as seven teams in the last five years.

This month, ESU will travel to Johnson County Community College in Overland Park to defend its 2003 Junior Varsity National Championship, then take two teams to the Cross Examination Debate Association National Championship, a non-qualifying national tournament held at the University of Louisville.

The National Debate Tournament will be held at Catholic University, Washington, D.C. in April.

Last Updated July 2, 2007>