Frosh Debut @ Wichita State This Weekend

Kansas State will travel six two person debate teams to Wichita this weekend. This tournament marks the debut of new frosh on the team including: Michael Washburn, Bonnie Meyers, and Logan Papon. In addition, several sophomore and junior teams one senior team who took the first two weekends of the season off to focus on graduate school applications will make their fall 2010 debut at Wichita this weekend. Follow us on twitter for updates as the tournament progresses.

GO STATE!

K-State Top 20 at Georgia State Tournament

KSU Attended the largest season opener in the nation this past weekend. After finishing as one of only 10 undefeated teams day one with another victory over Northwestern and a win vs. Harvard the competition ramped up on Day 2. KSU MZ lose two of the remaining preliminary debates and advanced as the 20th seed to elimination rounds where they lost a tough debate to Emory.

The Wildcats did not come home defeated. They came home more committed than ever to increasing their work effort to perform better in the coming weeks. Stay tuned.

Wildcats Undefeated to Start Season!

Kansas State attended the Gonzaga University Jesuit Invitational Season Opener this weekend. This outing was the team's first after switching to debating on a "paperless" platform and proved highly successful. Diligent work effort before the season began paid off for seniors Beth Mendenhall and Derek Zeigler. In a field of 46 teams representing several schools such as Texas, Baylor, Cal Berkeley, Whitman College, Northwestern, Gonzaga and more (see comprehensive list here) KSU MZ won all six preliminary debates, and advanced to elimination rounds as the number one seed. MZ faced off with Wyoming in Octofinals, winning on a 3-0; followed by defeating the University of Texas on a 2-1 in quarterfinals; advancing over Northwestern on a 2-1 decision in semifinals ultimately defeating Idaho State University on a resounding 3-0 in the final round. Beth Mendenhall of Kansas State was named the top speaker at the tournament. Those of us in 007 Kedzie have coined this the "Trifecta", Beth as top speaker, clearing as top seed, and winning the tournament.

First Seed at Emporia

Mendenhall & Zeigler were the top ranked seed at the Emporia tournament this weekend, without losing a single ballot in prelims. The open team of Ashley Denney & Caitlin Reynolds also cleared to elimination rounds as the 10th seed losing to the University of Texas at Dallas in the Octofinal Debate.

MZ defeated (narrowly), North Texas in the Octofinal, followed by a resounding victory over OU in the Quarter Finals before moving on to a clean win in Semifinals over the same team that had defeated Denney & Reynolds in the Octofinals. The only debate all weekend MZ lost was the final round to Wichita State. Beth & Derek both agreed to come back to Emporia next year to seal the deal.

Other awards of note, Maggie Weller & Steven Seib were the 3rd & 4th speakers respectively in the Junior Varsity division. There is a bright future for them in college debate for sure!