The Sterling College Debate/Forensics Team traveled to Canyon, Texas,  earlier in February to compete in the Sweetheart Swing Debate/Forensics Tournament hosted by West Texas A&M University. Four Sterling competitive speakers competed in the tournament and the team collectively placed second overall. 

Senior Miquala Purscell, Hoisington placed first in Persuasive Speaking while junior Cody Brooks, Sterling, took home first place in Varsity International Public Debate (IPDA). Purschell also placed fifth in both Extemporaneous Speaking and Varsity IPDA Debate. Brooks was named second place speaker in the debate. 

Freshman Bailey Brewer, Hutchinson, placed fourth in Dramatic Interpretation of Literature and third in Junior Varsity IPDA Debate. Fellow freshman Peter Vessey, Columbia, SC, placed fifth in Junior Varsity IPDA Debate. 

Eleven schools participated in the swing tournament including University of Texas, Oklahoma University, Oklahoma State University and four smaller private colleges. Schools of all sizes compete in collegiate forensics and debate. There is not a different conference for larger universities versus smaller colleges. 

Sterling College Debate/Forensics coach Ken Troyer said, “It was terrific to have every student bring home an award.  Additionally, placing second overall as a team is quite a statement since we only had four students competing that weekend – that small cadre was able to beat out state schools with more than three times our entries.”

The team will next travel to Kansas City this coming weekend and plans to compete at the Pi Kappa Delta national tournament in Glendale, Ariz., in March. 

Sterling College is a Christ-centered, four-year college located in Sterling, Kansas, with a mission to develop creative and thoughtful leaders who understand a maturing Christian faith. For more information, visit www.sterling.edu.