MSU debate team makes history, winning three consecutive national tournaments Contact: Kristin Anderson, University Relations, (517) 353-8819, ander284@msu.edu
1/28/2004
EAST LANSING, Mich. – Michigan State University’s debate team won three major tournaments coast to coast, starting the streak at the University of Southern California (USC) and California State University-Fullerton (CSU-Fullerton) before defeating six of the nation’s top debate teams at the Dartmouth Round Robin in Hanover, N.H.
“This is historic for the overall MSU debate program,” said Mike Eber, interim director of debate at MSU. “Throughout the entire history of the team, I do not think we have ever won three major tournaments consecutively.”
Greta Stahl of ShelbyTownship, a history and international relations senior, and Dave Strauss of East Lansing, an international relations senior, had an overall debate performance that was “nothing short of sensational,” Eber said.
They went undefeated, winning 22 debates, at the “California Swing,” which included tournaments Dec. 29-31 at USC and Jan. 2-4 at CSU-Fullerton.
“Although it happens occasionally, it is extremely difficult for a debate team to go undefeated at a single major tournament,” Eber said. “However, for any team to be able to repeat such an accomplishment at the very next tournament is practically unheard of. To win 20-plus debates in a row at two tournaments is the kind of accomplishment that makes the debate team and hopefully all Spartans very proud. This winning streak will be remembered for a long time, and it’s not over yet!”
Winning each tournament required winning four separate elimination debates against the schools University of California-Berkeley, CSU-Fullerton, Harvard University, the University of Texas-Austin, George Mason University, Dartmouth College and Fort Hays State University in Hays, Kan.
Strauss received the second place Individual Speaker Award, and Stahl was recognized as the fifth place individual speaker. At CSU-Fullerton, Stahl won the Top Individual Speaker Award, and Strauss received fifth place speaker honors.
For the first time ever, MSU won Dartmouth College’s 47th Annual Herbert L. James Debates, one of the most prestigious debate events of the season with invitations to only the seven most accomplished debate teams. The round robin tournament was held from Jan. 17-18 in Hanover, N.H.
A silver trophy will remain in East Lansing until next year’s round robin as part of the reward for winning the debate.
At Dartmouth, Stahl and Strauss won five of their six debates against Harvard University, Dartmouth College, the University of Georgia, Northwestern University, the University of California-Berkeley and Emory University.
Stahl’s and Strauss’ recent accomplishments put them in the running for the National Debate Tournament’s Copeland Memorial Award, one of the most sought-after awards of the intercollegiate debate world given to the debate team ranked number one over the course of a season leading up to the national championship in April.
“The Copeland Award is in some ways like hockey’s Stanley Cup,” said Will Repko, head coach of the debate team.“Throughout the year, everyone sets their eyes on winning it. In the end, however, only one team can be voted number one in advance of the National Debate Tournament.”
A panel of debate coaches ranks the top 16 teams in the nation according to their overall record, tournament victories and head-to-head results to determine the winner of the Copeland Award.
“This year’s so-called ‘Copeland race’ is probably the closest that I can remember,” Eber said. “Stahl and Strauss are in a dead heat for number one with our rivals from the University of California at Berkeley. The final showdown to decide the Copeland winner will be held at Northwestern University in a few weeks.”
MSU was also well represented by several other teams at the tournaments.
Aaron Hardy, an interdisciplinary arts and humanities junior from Logan, Utah, and Shaun VanHorn of Shelby Township, a senior biology major, reached the octo-finals, the “sweet sixteen,” at the “California Swing” tournaments.
Ryan Burke of Rochester Hills, an international relations sophomore, and Andrea Reed of Highland Park, Texas, an undeclared freshman, reached the double octo-finals, debating with the top 32 teams, at both tournaments in California.
Casey Harrigan of Holland, an international relations sophomore, and Jillian Tietjen of Grosse Pointe, a no-preference freshman in the James Madison College, went 4-3 in the preliminary debates and reached the double octo-final elimination debate.
Several other MSU teams attended a tournament on Jan. 10-12 in Carrollton, Ga., at the State University of West Georgia. Hardy and VanHorn had a 6-2 record in preliminary debates and reached the octo-finals while Burke and Harrigan had a 5-3 record in preliminary debates.
The next tournament will be held Feb. 7-9 at Northwestern University. | 
