From: Sloan, Wendel
Sent: Thursday, November 13, 2003 2:13 PM
To: ENMU Monday Memo
Subject: speech and debate

Edmond, OK.  The Greyhound Speech and Debate team continued their streak of appearances in elimination rounds this past weekend at the Joe C. Jackson Invitational Debate Tournament at the University of Central Oklahoma by winning four preliminary debates, but ultimately lost on a three to zero decision in the Junior Varsity quarterfinals.

Savannah Howard and Thomas Howard improved over their last tournament at Southwest Missouri State University by earning their berth in the elimination rounds one round earlier than the previous week.  Reaching single elimination competition requires teams to win four of six preliminary debates.  At SMS, Howard and Howard did not win four rounds until the sixth preliminary round.  This week, Howard and Howard won their fourth debate in round five by defeating Emporia State University.

After a poor debate against Southeast Louisiana State University to begin tournament, coaches Mick Souders and Kara Dillard were pleased with Howard and Howard’s preliminary round debating.  Wichita State University, the University of Missouri and District rival Regis University were handily dispatched in rounds two through four.

Unfortunately, round six was a premonition of the quarterfinal round to occur Sunday morning.  Howard and Howard debated Blake Johnson and Billy Lieurance from the University of Oklahoma in the sixth preliminary debate late Saturday evening and were defeated—the second straight round ENMU has lost to Johnson and Lieurance.  It would not be the last.  As the eighth seed, ENMU drew the first seed and the eventual tournament champions in the quarterfinals: Lieurance and Johnson from Oklahoma.  

Oklahoma’s argument that the United States should withdraw from the North Atlantic Treaty Organization to reduce American military domination ultimately proved persuasive to all three judges in quarterfinals.  

“Reaching quarterfinals is becoming normal for us, which is positive,” said Dillard.  “But it was frustrating losing our third consecutive round to that Oklahoma team.”  Professor Schroeder, Director of the Debate and Forensics program noted that “winning a good percentage of the preliminary rounds of competition to advance to elimination rounds is an excellent indicator of the quality of the research done by the team, skill of the debaters and the quality of the coaching handled by the graduate teaching assistants.  Kara Dillard and Michael Sounders are doing a fine job of coaching the debaters.”   

Dillard and Souders both agreed it was time for ENMU to start winning quarterfinal rounds.

“I think Washington University this coming week will be a breakthrough for us,” said Dillard  

Eastern New Mexico University’s influence and achievement in the college debate community was reflected in another way in the tournament: coaches from four different universities were either former debaters or former coaches at ENMU. Oklahoma Director of Forensics Jackie Massey, Southern Illinois University Assistant Director of Forensics Chuck Walts, Emporia State Director of Forensics Ken Delaughder and Regis University coach John Foy all attended the Eastern New Mexico University Communicative Arts & Sciences Master of Arts program.  Foy also debated at ENMU from 1995 to 1999 and was 5th in nation with partner Matt Barretto in 1998, and national champion in 1997 at Pi Kappa Delta.

Professor Schroeder stated “my emphasis is to provide a learning environment that results in quality competitors and quality coaches.  ENMU has graduated more debate and forensics coaches than any other small university in the United States.  You might say it is part of ENMU legacy in competitive speech.”

“I think it demonstrates ENMU’s influence in an important and challenging academic arena,” said current coach Mick Souders.  “At the very least, it’s reassuring to me that these folks have been able to get very good jobs.”

The Greyhound’s next debate tournament is this coming weekend at Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri.  The last fall tournament is December 6-8 at Emporia