Debate team finishes season with impressive performance at national tournaments

Emporia State University’s top notch debate team finished their season with impressive accolades and accomplishments in national tournament competition.

At the Cross Examination Debate Association (CEDA) National Tournament there were 362 participants. During this tournament 30 Scholastic All-American Awards are given. Tiara Naputi, an ESU debater, was one of the few to receive this special honor.

“I was elated about receiving the award,” Naputi said.  “It feels good when you look at students from Cornell, Emory and Vanderbilt who are receiving the same honor that you are.”

Naputi is a communication and modern languages (Spanish) major and is graduating in May.  She is planning to attend graduate school and has already been accepted to some major universities. “I’m going to miss the team next year,” Naputi said. “I’m just glad I was able to end my career on such a high note.”

“The award is very special to our squad because our academic performance is something we pride ourselves on,” said Sam Maurer, Director of Debate.  “Tiara has been a leader for this team all year, not just in practice but in the classroom.  She deserves this award.”

Naputi spent last year in Spain where she was a foreign-exchange student for one year.  She will also spend a month this summer in Mexico, a trip funded by a scholarship she was awarded recently. 

CEDA Nationals happened during spring break along with the National Junior Division Debate Tournament (NJDDT).  At that tournament, Naputi was honored with an Outstanding Senior Award.

ESU also won other honors in the national competition.  At the NJDDT, the team of Paul Mose, a sophomore communication major from Emporia and Kelly Thompson, a senior speech communication major from Alma, Kan., finished fifth overall.  Also, Thompson was honored as the seventh overall speaker and Mose was ranked as the fifth overall speaker.

“Performing well at the NJDDT is a great indication of things to come for a young squad,” said James Taylor, assistant debate coach.  “We have a young squad and our performance late in the season demonstrates that we have talented young debaters.”

Academics are extremely important to the debate team as they boast a squad GPA of 3.39.

“This squad prides itself on academic and competitive success,” Maurer said.  “Naputi’s awards and our entire team’s success were positive indicators for the health of the program.”

 “Tiara will be greatly missed on this team and at this university.  She’s won many awards this year but, in my eyes, there will never be enough respect paid to such a brilliant and hard-working student,” Maurer said.

“I’ve worked hard for many years to get, academically and competitively, to where I am today,” Naputi said.  “It just feels good to receive so many honors for my efforts at the end of it all.”

Last Updated July 2, 2007>