Debate Team Takes Second

Utah State University’s speech and debate team, based in the department of languages, philosophy and speech communication, returned from its most recent meet with a second place finish. The meet, held Nov. 11-12 at Linfield College in McMinnville, Ore., hosted teams from 21 universities. USU’s second place finish was four points behind the first place finisher, Pacific University.

Team coach Tom Worthen said although USU’s team has not taken first in overall sweepstakes at a conference tournament, it is well on its way to returning as overall conference champion.

 

“At both conference tournaments the team lost to different schools,” Worthen said. “When you add the points from the two tournaments together, Utah State has a commanding lead.”

 

During the weekend tournament USU competed with 19 speeches and returned with trophies for 16 speeches. The top speakers at the tournament were recognized, and Utah State had three speakers in the top five. Trevor Linderman was recognized as the third best speaker, Di Lewis as the fourth best and Shannon Johnson as the fifth best. No other school had more than one student recognized, Worthen said.

 

Individual winners at the tournament include: Shannon Johnson, first place, extemporaneous speaking; first place in after dinner speaking and fourth place in junior persuasion; Di Lewis, first place, junior persuasion, third place in prose interpretation and third place, character debate; Bryce Draper, second place, after dinner speaking and fifth place, junior persuasion; Natalie Cook, third place, informative speaking and third place, after dinner speaking; Trevor Linderman, first place, informative speaking, second place, junior persuasion and second place in dramatic duo interpretation; Eric Peatross, first place, open persuasion and second place, dramatic duo interpretation; Mike Smith, second place, informative speaking and third place, persuasion.

 

USU will compete in the final tournament of the season at Pacific University in Forest Grove, Ore., at the end of January.