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Kansas University

KU debaters win first place, best speaker in Harvard University tournament

LAWRENCE - The University of Kansas debate team of Brett Bricker, Wichita senior, and Nate Johnson, Manhattan senior, took first place at an annual Harvard University tournament involving 80 of the best teams in the country. Bricker also won the award for top individual debater at the tournament.

"Winning the Harvard tournament is an incredible accomplishment," said Scott Harris, KU debate coach. "It is the most difficult tournament in the country to win."

Harris said Bricker and Johnson are the first KU team to win the Harvard tournament. KU debaters' triumphs currently give them No. 1 overall rankings in the National Debate Tournament and Cross-Examination Debate Association.

This was the third consecutive year that KU had advanced to the finals of the Harvard tournament but the first time KU won the tournament. During three days of competition the Bricker and Johnson team won 11 debates to capture first place. In the tournament finals they defeated Northwestern University. In the semifinals they defeated a University of California-Berkeley team that had won the tournament last year, avenging a KU loss in the final round at last year's Harvard tournament.

Two more KU teams finished among the top 25 at the Harvard tournament, and KU debater Chris Stone, Derby sophomore, was third-place individual speaker at the tournament, which took place Oct. 31 to Nov. 3.

Stone and Mark Wilkins, Topeka freshman, won five of eight debates. KU's team of Sean Kennedy, Leawood sophomore, and Dylan Quigley, Wichita junior, also won five of eight debates.

KU debaters who competed at the Harvard tournament are listed below by hometown, year in school, major, parents' names and high school.

JOHNSON COUNTY From Leawood 66206 Sean Kennedy, sophomore in linguistics, son of Chris and Joan Kennedy; Shawnee Mission East High School.

RILEY COUNTY From Manhattan 66502 Nate Johnson, senior in philosophy, political science and psychology, son of Ron and Betty Johnson; Manhattan High School.

SEDGWICK COUNTY From Derby 67037 Christopher Stone, sophomore in political science, son of Douglas and Gloria Stone; Derby High School.

From Wichita 67206 Brett Bricker, senior in mathematics, son of Gary and Norma Bricker; Wichita High School Southeast.

From Wichita 67208 and 67218 Dylan Quigley, junior in philosophy, son of Tim Quigley (67218) and of Trix Niemberger (67208); Wichita High School East.

SHAWNEE COUNTY From Topeka 66604 and 66610 Mark Wilkins, freshman in political science, son of Brent Wilkins (66610) and of Janis Hinkle (66604); Washburn Rural High School.

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