KU team advances to Elite Eight in National Debate Tournament finals

LAWRENCE — University of Kansas debaters Brett Bricker, Wichita junior, and Andrew Jennings, Silver Lake junior, concluded a successful season by advancing to the Elite Eight at the National Debate Tournament nationals March 30-April 2 in Dallas, Texas. Bricker and Jennings lost to a team from Emory University that went on to win the tournament.

Another KU team of Lindsey Lathrop, Overland Park senior, and Nate Johnson, Manhattan senior, got to the NDT Sweet 16 before losing to a Wayne State University team that advanced to the Final Four.

KU was the only school to have two teams get to the Sweet 16. The 78 top U.S. intercollegiate debate teams that had qualified to be there based on matches won during the academic year competed at the national tournament. Scott Harris is KU’s debate coach as well as 2006 National Debate Coach of the Year.

Based on their cumulative winnings during the NDT season prior to the national tournament finals, the team of Bricker and Jennings received the third-place national ranking trophy at a March 29 pre-tournament event in Dallas. Teams from the University of Georgia and the University of Oklahoma were first and second respectively. On April 1 after the preliminary NDT national tournament rounds, Jennings received the 11th place individual speaker award and Bricker the 12th place individual speaker recognition.

At the tournament, the 28 teams that accumulated the best records after eight debates advanced to the single-elimination rounds prior to qualifying matches for Sweet 16 debates.

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
Lindsey 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.

RILEY COUNTY
From Manhattan 66502
Nathan Johnson, senior in political science, 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.

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