The UT Dallas debate squad wrapped up its 2009-10 season as the only organization in the country to advance a team to the quarterfinals in the nation’s two most-prestigious tournaments.
The 64th Annual National Debate Tournament (NDT) and the Cross Examination Debate Association (CEDA) National Championship were both in late March at the University of California, Berkeley.
UT Dallas was the only debate squad to advance a team to the quarterfinal rounds in both major national tournaments.
The team of Andrew Baker, a junior political science major and Collegium V honors student, and senior criminology major Brian Rubaie were the only team in the nation to compete in the quarterfinals or better at both tournaments.
Rubaie and Baker also ranked ninth and 14th places as individual speakers at the NDT, respectively. At the CEDA Nationals, Rubaie and Baker also placed seventh and 13th, respectively, in the individual speaker rankings.
“Great success at just one tournament can sometimes be a bit of luck,” said debate program director Christopher Burk. “Performing so well at both national tournaments in the same week proves Brian and Andrew are exceptionally talented and thoroughly prepared.”
Wes Dwyer, a junior majoring in international political economy, and Collin Roark, a sophomore studying political science, comprised the other UT Dallas team competing at the NDT. They finished with four wins in eight rounds, one win short of the five required to advance to the elimination rounds of the tournament.
Joining Baker, Dwyer, Rubaie and Roark at the CEDA Nationals were four other UT Dallas debaters: Jilliam Cluff, political science junior; Brittany Leach, political science sophomore; Zexing Meng, economics freshman; and Mayu Takeda, arts and humanities freshman.
The NDT competition hosted 78 teams who earned invitations to the tournament by finishing in top spots at regional tournaments. A total of 207 teams competed at the CEDA Nationals, a tournament open to any undergraduate debater in good standing at a university.
Carly Wunderlich and Eric Lanning from Michigan State University won the NDT. RJ Giglio and Nick Watts from the University of Oklahoma won the CEDA Nationals for the second year in a row.