Forensics Tournament News Posts

EWC’s Debate student Zachary Lybrand

Eastern Wyoming College student Zachary Lybrand sophomore, Douglas WY, attended the Western Nebraska Monument Debate on February 2-3, 2018.

Lybrand won four rounds and lost one round to Casper College earning him a trip to the semifinal round. In winning the preliminary rounds he defeated debaters from the South Dakota School of Mines, Western Nebraska Community College, and Western Wyoming Community College.

According to Interim Debate Team Coach John Hansen, “Zach’s success is illustrative of many hours of refining his craft, research, and overall hard work.” Hansen continued “Debate tournaments really stretch student’s depth of knowledge, Zach debated topics covering elimination of teacher tenure, fake news, Korean unification, politicized awards shows, and national privacy.”

Lybrand brought home 5 trophies and won the following awards: 4^th best speaker, 3^rd place sweepstakes individual events, 2^nd place sweepstakes IPDA Debate, 2^nd place community college sweepstakes, and tied for 3^rd place for the tournament.

Lybrand will graduate in May and is weighing his options for which university he will attend.  Lybrand stated “Right now, I am weighing quite a few options and looking at where I can transfer to continue my debate career.” Lybrand continued “Thanks to EWC and Debate Team Coach Jeremy Christensen for creating such great opportunities.” Hansen followed-up “Debate Coach Christensen taught Zachary this past year and provided him with the tools for success.”

Front: Zach Lybrand, Left: Kinlee Whitney, Right: Haley Lauze

Eastern Wyoming College’s Speech and Debate team finished well at the Lancer Invitational and Cougar Swing hosted on the EWC campus September 29-October 1.

Facing a field of twenty-four other competitors, from colleges including the South Dakota School of Mines, Black Hills State University, Colorado Christian University, Belmont Abbey College (NC), Idaho State University, Northwest College, and Casper College, Haley Lauze, a sophomore from Green River, WY, finished in the final four of the tournament’s Open division. She finished with a 5-1 preliminary round record, with four wins over debaters from Colorado Christian University, including the eventual runner-up, and one win over Belmont Abbey’s Logan Torve, a past national champion and this year’s Lancer Invitational tournament champion, Lauze advanced through the Round of Sixteen, won in the Elite Eight, and lost on a 2-1 decision in semifinals.

Zach Lybrand, a freshman from Douglas, Wyoming, also finished well. At his first debate tournament, he advanced to the Elite Eight in the novice division, with a 4-2 record, notching wins over Northwest College, Black Hills State University, and Colorado Christian College. Lybrand, lost to London Ruff from

The South Dakota School of Mines and Technology on a 3-0 decision in quarterfinals.

Kinlee Whitney, a freshman from Newcastle, Wyoming, won the prose division at the Lancer Invitational, earned sixth place in informative speaking, and finished second overall in individual events, against strong competition from competitors representing Casper College, Northwest College, Western Nebraska Community College, Sterling College (KS), The University of Nebraska-Kearney, Doane College (NE), and Colorado Christian University.

During the Cougar Swing, which featured only individual events, Lauze finished fourth in persuasive speaking and sixth in prose, interpretation and Whitney finished fourth in prose interpretation.

The squad will split its resources when it next travels to Black Hills State University for a debate tournament on November 3-4 and to Midland University (Fremont, NE) for an individual events tournament the same weekend.

For more information about the Speech and Debate program at EWC, please contact Jeremy Christensen, Communications Instructor/Forensics Director at 307.532.8367.

Haley and Kenna prepare for their second debate.

Eastern Wyoming College debaters Haley Lauze and Kenna Noble attended the Loyola University of Chicago debate invitational March 18 at the Loyola University campus in downtown Chicago. Also attending were a number of colleges from the Chicago area, including Loyola’s own team and those from Wheaton College, a prestigious liberal arts college Wheaton, Illinois.

Eastern Wyoming was the only college from out of the Chicago region invited to the tournament. The invitation on behalf of the Loyola University Debating Society was a recognition of Lauze and Noble’s season-long success in a variety of debate formats.

The format for the competition was new for the squad, and one that is mostly practiced by major institutions on the East and West Coasts as well as colleges abroad, including Oxford and Cambridge, among many others. The British Parliamentary (BP) style of debate features four two-person teams in each competition room, with two teams advocating for and two teams negating the motion. The subjects for the topics range from contemporary world affairs to enduring questions in philosophy.  The contest at Loyola, like many BP tournaments, featured three preliminary rounds, with the teams ranked one through four by a panel of three expert judges.

Lauze and Nobel improved throughout the three rounds, earning a fourth place ranking in their first round, a third place ranking in their second round, and a second place ranking in their third round. Although that was not enough to earn them a bid into the final debate, which featured three Wheaton teams and one Loyola-Chicago team, their steady improvement earned praise from the tournament administrator Mr. David Romanelli, Director of Debate at Loyola.

Haley and Kenna with David Romanelli

“The fact that in each debate round Haley and Kenna’s rank and scores went up was remarkable,” said Romanelli. “I believe they both have a good deal of promise.”

This event concludes the team’s travel for the year, although the squad will begin preparing for next year starting the first week in April and continuing through May.

For more information about speech and debate at EWC contact Jeremy Christensen at 307.532.8367.

The EWC debate team won top community college honors at the Sweetheart Swing tournament co-hosted by the University of Oklahoma and West Texas A&M on the Norman, Oklahoma, campus February 10-12.

EWC Speech and Debate students at Oklahoma left to right: James Schock, Sara Kostur, Haley Lauze, Zach Bearnson, Kenna Noble, and Helen Khouri

Twenty-seven colleges and universities attended the tournament including research one universities such as The University of Alabama and The University of Texas-Austin, elite private colleges like Whitworth University, Southern Methodist University, and Colorado Christian University, and two other community colleges, Ranger College and Tulsa Community College.

EWC debaters were entered in IPDA debate, a limited preparation debate format that pitted them against only four-year institutions, which in the novice division included:  Arkansas Technical University, Kansas Wesleyan University, Southern Methodist University, Oral Roberts University, Oklahoma Baptist University, University of Central Arkansas, Northeast Oklahoma State University, and Colorado Christian University. Tulsa and Ranger competed in NPDA and NFA-LD debate formats.

After the scoring over the first two days, EWC, which advanced three of four novice debaters (any debater in his/her first year of competition from any size institution) to the tournaments Sweet Sixteen, two to the Elite Eight, and one to the final four, earned enough points from debate to outscore both Tulsa and Ranger performances in their other debate formats and individual events to earn top honors.

Individually, three EWC debaters advanced far into the tournament. Kenna Noble, freshman, LaGrange, Wyoming, earned recognition as the overall second ranked speaker in the novice division and made it to the final-four, out of more than thirty debaters, earning a five-one preliminary record with wins over Oral Roberts, Southern Methodist, and Oklahoma Baptist debaters. In the Sweet Sixteen she beat a debater from Southern Methodist on a 3-0 decision. By seeding, Helena Khouri, freshman, Rio de Janeiro, was the tournament’s seventh seed and slated to debate Sara Kostur, sophomore, Torrington, WY, the tournament’s tenth seed. On the strength of her fifth place speaker recognition, Khouri advanced over Kostur into the Elite Eight. Again, by the chance of seeding, Noble was slated to debate Khouri in the Elite Eight, but by virtue of her second seed position, she advanced to the final four, losing on a close 2-1 decision to the eventual tournament champion from Colorado Christian University. James Schock, sophomore, Torrington, WY, had a rough early draw, but went 2-4 in preliminary rounds to help the team to earn enough points for sweepstakes.

On Sunday, EWC debaters Haley Lauze, sophomore, Green River, WY; and Zach Bearnson, freshman, Torrington, Wyoming, advanced to the Elite Eight out of twenty-six teams during the Texas A&M portion of the tournament. The debaters paired up to compete in team IPDA, standing again as the lone community college, this time in the open division against debaters with as many as eight years of debate experience. The teams of Lauze and Bearnson held a 3-1 record in the preliminary rounds, but lost in the Elite Eight to Southern Methodist University. Khouri and Noble, both students in their first year of debate at any level, also recorded three wins and one loss and stood as the ninth seed after preliminary rounds, but did not advance to the Elite Eight based upon four total quality points.

For more information about the Speech and Debate program at EWC, please contact Jeremy Christensen, Communications Instructor/Forensics Director at 307.532.8367.

Helena Khouri and Jaxson Heyland after the end of the first half of the Monument Swing at WNCC.

Eastern Wyoming College student Helena Khouri, freshman, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, earned top novice honors and recognition as fifth debate speaker overall at the Monument Swing, a tournament co-hosted by Western Nebraska Community College and Eastern Wyoming College on WNCC’s campus February 3-5.

Khouri, Jaxson Heyland, freshman, Evanston, WY, and Kenna Noble, freshman, LaGrange, WY, competed in International Public Debate Association (IPDA) debate on Friday against teams from Black Hills State University, Northwest College, Casper College, and Western Nebraska Community College. All three debaters finished with a 2-3 record. Khouri was 2-2, with wins over Northwest and Western Nebraska, before losing to the eventual tournament champion from Casper College in her fifth round. Khouri’s outstanding performance ranked her as fifth among the fifteen debaters.  Noble, with wins early over Black Hills State and Western Nebraska, lost to Casper College in the fifth round, keeping her from reaching the tournament’s elite eight. Heyland had losses to debaters from Casper, Western, and Black Hills, but did earn wins over Casper and Western in his last two preliminary rounds.

On Saturday for the first speech/individual events tournament, Khouri, who began competitive speaking this term, earned the award for top novice competitor in impromptu speaking, while competing against national ranked speech teams from four-year colleges including: Hastings College, University of Nebraska-Kearney, The Colorado College, and top community college competitors from Casper College, Northwest College, and Western Nebraska. Khouri also earned fifth place in the open division of Program of Oral Interpretation (POI). Heyland earned sixth in After Dinner Speaking (ADS), a humorous persuasive speech event.

Sunday’s tournament, featuring many of the same competitors, saw Khouri win top novice honors for her work in POI and third place overall in the event, while Heyland again earned sixth in ADS.

The Monument Swing is the second tournament EWC has been involved in managing this year. EWC students Anna Perez, sophomore, Canet de Mar, Spain; Adrian Torres-Ruiz, sophomore, Madrid, Spain; Carmen Carajal, sophomore, Lugo, Spain; Giovanna Jordao, sophomore, Sao Paulo, Brazil; debate team captain Haley Lauze, sophomore, Green River, WY; and team member Justin Griebe, sophomore, Torrington, WY, all assisted in running Sunday’s tournament on the WNCC campus.

The team including Haley Lauze, Helena Khouri, Sarah Koster, sophomore, Torrington, WY; Kenna Noble, James Schock, sophomore, Yoder, WY; and Zach Bearnson, freshman, Torrington, WY,  will travel to Oklahoma University February 9-13 to compete in the IPDA team debate.

For more information about the Speech and Debate program at EWC, please contact Jeremy Christensen, Communications Instructor/Forensics Director at 307.532.8367.

The Eastern Wyoming College debate team of Kenna Noble, LaGrange, WY and Haley Louze, Green River, WY reached the final four at the Black Hills State University Fall Invitational held November 4-5 in Spearfish, SD.

On the strength of a 5-1 preliminary round record, competing against teams from Black Hills State University, South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, and Northern State University, in an invitational to those members of the Black Hills Debating Union, Noble and Louze met a team from South Dakota School of Mines in the semifinal round, losing on a 2-1 decision.

Returning squad members Justin Griebe, Torrington, WY and James Schock, Yoder, WY had a tougher weekend at Black Hills State, finishing with a 0-6 record.

EWC is the only two-year college that is a member of the Black Hills Debating Union.

Freshman Cody Powell, Lingle, WY and sophomore Sara Kostur, Yoder, WY attended the Trapper Rendezvous tournament hosted by Northwest College. The two team members, in their second week on the squad, failed to advance to the elimination rounds.

The squad next travels to Casper College on January 27-29.

Haley Lauze and Kenna Noble share awards recently received at an International Public Debating Association event held in Murfreesboro, TN.

Eastern Wyoming College debater Haley Lauze, Green River, WY, won five out of six preliminary rounds against students representing four year universities including Union University, Mississippi College, the University of Southern Mississippi, Middle Tennessee State University, the University of Tennessee, and Valdosta State University (GA), to advance to the tournament’s elite eight.  Once there, she advanced over a University of Tennessee debater, winning all three of the judge’s ballots before losing in the final four on a close 2-1 decision to Jordan Nickell, a Middle Tennessee State debater and the eventual tournament champion.

Kenna Noble, LaGrange, WY, the other competitor representing EWC at the tournament in Murfreesboro, won four of six preliminary round debates, succeeding over debaters from Valdosta, Mississippi College, and the University of Tennessee, losing her last round to a debater from Union University. She missed advancing to the elite eight by four speaker (quality) points.

Although EWC was the only community college entered into the International Public Debating Association (IPDA) event at the tournament, the others were four year universities, other community colleges had entered National Parliamentary Debate Association (NPDA) events. Based upon EWC’s success, with only two debaters, the squad took second place in community college debate sweepstakes behind Walter’s State Community College, who brought eight debaters.

The team next travels to two different sites – Northwest College and Black Hills State University – with half of the squad going to each location on November 4-5.

Left to right: Kenna Noble, Haley Lauze, Amber Snyder, not a EWC student but assisted with the debate, James Schock, and Justin Griebe.

The Eastern Wyoming College competitive speech and debate team hosted the first annual Lancer Invitational October 7-8 on the EWC campus in Torrington.

More than seventy students from The Colorado College, Colorado Christian University, South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, Black Hills State University, Northwest College, Casper College, Western Nebraska Community College, as well as students from EWC competed at the event, with Colorado Christian University winning the event overall.

The Lancer Invitational offered both debate and individual events. Although, both competitive opportunities were provided, EWC students focused on International Public Debate Association (IPDA) style debate, in which students are challenged to select a proposition prior to each debate round and prepare arguments for or against it within thirty minutes.

EWC’s Kenna Noble, freshman, LaGrange, WY and James Schock, sophomore, Yoder, WY, competed in the novice division of the event, and Haley Lauze, sophomore, Green River, WY, and Justin Griebe, sophomore, Torrington, WY competed in the open division. Noble compiled a 3-2 preliminary round record and advanced to quarterfinals against Northwest College, losing the round on a 2-1 decision against the eventual tournament runner-up. Lauze and Schock compiled 2-3 records, losing their final preliminary debates, missing the elimination rounds by one ballot, although Schock earned recognition as the eighth ranked speaker in his division.

The EWC administration, faculty, staff, and students, as well as a number of community members worked hard to facilitate the tournament and judge the events. This dedication sets up the potential for a larger and more competitive 2^nd Annual Lancer Invitational for October 6-7 of 2017.

EWC will next travel to the prestigious “Al Johnson Memorial Tournament” held at Colorado College on October 28-30, where Noble and Lauze will compete against the top teams in the nation from Rice University, Washburn University (reigning squad national champion and three time winner of the squad national championship), Lewis and Clark, Texas Tech University (three- time national championship winners), the United States Air Force Academy, as well as a number of regional and national powerhouse programs.

For more information about the Speech and Debate program at EWC, please contact Jeremy Christensen, Communications Instructor/Forensics Director at 307.532.8367.