KU debate duo places third out of 175 teams in national tournament

LAWRENCE — A team of University of Kansas debaters placed third out of 175 in the Cross Examination Debate Association national tournament competition March 22-26 at the University of Oklahoma in Norman. In addition, three KU debaters finished as top 20 individual speakers.

“This was an outstanding performance by the entire squad,” said coach Scott Harris, who earlier this year was named the 2006 National Debate Coach of the Year. “We are very excited about reaching the Final Four.”

Brett Bricker, Wichita junior, and Andrew Jennings, Silver Lake junior, are the first KU team to place in the Final Four at a CEDA national tournament since 1999. They lost in a 2-1 split decision to an OU team that went on to win the national championship by defeating Dartmouth College. In earlier matches, Bricker and Jennings defeated teams from Wake Forest, the United States Military Academy, the University of Texas and Emory University.

Recognized from KU among the top-20 individual speakers were Jon Wright, Stilwell senior, fifth; Lindsey Lathrop, Overland Park senior, 17th; and Andrew Jennings, Silver Lake junior, 18th. Wright was named to the CEDA All-American team and Lathrop to the Academic All-American team.

The CEDA tournament is an intercollegiate event open to any team that wants to attend, and each of the 175 teams participated in eight debates to narrow the field to 64. Three additional teams from KU advanced to the final 64 for single-round elimination debates.  

The KU team of Nate Johnson, Manhattan senior, and Lathrop lost in the round of 32. Two KU pairs that lost in the 64-team rounds were Chris Thomas, Overland Park freshman, and Kyle Shermuk, Overland Park junior; and Wright and Dylan Quigley, Wichita freshman.

This weekend, the Jennings-Bricker and Johnson-Lathrop teams will be among 78 top U.S. intercollegiate pairs competing March 30-April 2 at the National Championship Debate Tournament in Dallas, Texas.

“We have high expectations for both teams doing well at the National Debate Tournament,” said Jan Hovden, assistant debate coach. “The debaters have worked very hard to prepare for nationals, and we have a chance to compete for a national championship.”

The KU student debaters are listed below by hometown, major and level in school, parents’ names and high schools attended.

JOHNSON COUNTY
From Overland Park 66213
Lindsay Lathrop, senior in political science with a minor in African and African-American studies, daughter of Robert and Kelly Lathrop; Blue Valley Northwest High School.

Kyle Shermuk, junior in East Asian languages and literatures and pre-medicine, son of Kurt and Pamela Shermuk; Blue Valley Northwest High School.

Chris Thomas, freshman in political science, son of Denise Stock; Blue Valley Northwest High School.

From Stilwell 66085
Jon Wright, senior in political science and journalism and mass communications (strategic communications emphasis), son of Jeffrey and Sonya Wright; Washburn Rural High School, Topeka.

RILEY COUNTY
From Manhattan 66502
Nate Johnson, senior in political science and pre-law, son of Ron and Betty Johnson; Manhattan High School.

SEDGWICK COUNTY
From Wichita 67206
Brett Bricker, junior in mathematics, son of Gary and Norma Bricker; Wichita High School Southeast.

>From Wichita 67208 and 67218
Dylan Quigley, freshman in philosophy, son of Tim Quigley (67218) and Trix Niemberger (67208); Wichita High School East.

SHAWNEE COUNTY
From Silver Lake 66539
Andrew Jennings, junior in political science, son of Joe and Kathy Jennings; Silver Lake Junior-Senior High School.