UT Tyler Debate competes at Washburn University Debate Tournament

Last Friday, November 15^th, at 7:00 AM, the debate team from the University of Texas at Tyler departed for a 4 day trip to Topeka Kansas where they competed at the Top City Classic Invitational Debate Tournament at Washburn University.  The tournament began on Saturday morning at 8:00 AM, with 7 preliminary rounds that day, and continued into Sunday, where there was an additional preliminary round followed by elimination rounds. 

The tournament featured 35 teams from 7 different states.  The Top City Classic is basically the culmination of the entire fall semester for college teams across the Midwest.  The competition pool was extremely competitive, with 11 of the top 20 teams in the nation making an appearance.  This tournament is an excellent opportunity to compete against the best in the nation.

Three teams from UT Tyler competed at the Top City Classic.  Carver Hodgkiss and Dallas Flick (UTT FH), Sam Cook and Kaitlyn Bull (UTT BC), and Steven Hullum and Taylor Manatsa (UTT HM).  UTT FH and UTT BC both won 4 preliminary rounds and lost 4 preliminary rounds, and UTT HM won 2 preliminary rounds, and lost 6 preliminary rounds.  Due to these win/loss records, it was unlikely that any of the teams would advance to elimination rounds. 

However, UTT BC was seeded high enough that they advanced to the partial double octafinal round, in which they debated Southern Illinois University.  In that round BC lost on a 3-0 decision, so UT Tyler finished a bit earlier than what they all would have preferred.  However, it was an excellent learning experience, and the teams were able to highlight some things to work on to improve for the next tournament.

If you are interested in seeing of the topics that were debated, you can find them here.  To see a list of teams that competed, look here. 

In addition to the tournament, the team also visited the famous Oklahoma Joe’s and ate a most delicious lunch before flying back into Texas later that Monday afternoon.  If you are unaware of the awesomeness that is Oklahoma Joe’s, then check out Dallas’s blog on the “Kansas City Barbeque Tour” in which there is a discussion of OK Joe’s.

The next tournament UT Tyler will compete at will be held at the University of Texas at Tyler on January 3^rd-5^th.