2/22/2001

EAST LANSING, Mich. - The Michigan State University debate team recently placed second at the Heart of America Debate Tournament hosted by the University of Kansas.

The competition, which was the last regular season tournament of the year, included more than 70 teams from schools such as The University of Michigan, Northwestern University and Cornell University.

"It's a significant victory in itself because of the great teams," said Jason Trice, the team's director. "It's also a great testament to the hard work the team has put in and the strength of the team."

Trice said one of the most impressive accomplishments of the tournament came from the team's youngest members. The duo of freshman David Strauss and sophomore Calum Matheson, both of East Lansing, reached the final round only to be beaten by a senior team from Wake Forest University.

The team will now begin preparing for the final three tournaments of the season. The debates include the Freshman National Championship, the Cross Examination Debate Association National Championship (CEDA) and the National Debate Tournament (NDT), which begin next month.

Strauss and partner freshman Greta Stahl from Shelby Township are the favorites to win the Freshman National Championship, Trice said.

The team also has high hopes for the CEDA and NDT championships, because MSU has finished in the top four at one or both of these tournaments six of the last seven years. It won the CEDA championship in 1995.

"It helps that the recent win came in the last tournament of the season, because it gives us the momentum and confidence we need for the national championships," Trice said.