Baylor Debate Teams Qualify For National Tournament

Two Baylor University debate teams have qualified for the National Debate Tournament, to be held March 24-27 at the University of Missouri at Kansas City. The teams will debate whether the U.S. should continue sanctions against rogue nations.
Mat Titus, a sophomore from Emporia, Kan., and Joseph Coppola, a junior from San Antonio, will make up one team. Robert Little, a sophomore from Sherman, and Cole Bucy, a sophomore from Waco, will serve as the other Baylor team.
To qualify, the two Baylor teams were among the top eight teams selected at the recent regional competition, which included teams from all universities that have debate programs in Kansas, Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri and Louisiana.
The National Debate Tournament began in 1947 at the United States Military Academy at West Point. Baylor, which has qualified for the tournament 40 out of 53 years, currently ranks in the top 10 in most tournament appearances and most teams qualified.
"Baylor has one of the longest strings of competing in the national tournament," said Dr. Karla Leeper, assistant professor of communication studies and The Glenn R. Capp Professor of Forensics. "However, I am very excited because we are very young this year. We have no seniors on the team."
Baylor will host the National Debate Tournament in March 2001.