KU News Release

KU debaters win first place by defeating K-State at Illinois tournament

LAWRENCE — To win first place overall, the University of Kansas debate team of Sean Kennedy, Leawood freshman, and Dylan Quigley, Wichita sophomore, defeated a Kansas State University team in the final round of a tournament hosted Feb. 1-3 at Augustana College in Rock Island, Ill.

In addition, the KU team of Erum Shah and Kyle Shernuk, both Overland Park seniors, took third place at the tournament. Quigley received the first-place individual speaker award, and Shernuk was the seventh-place individual speaker.

Other schools competing besides KU and K-State included Baylor University, Miami of Ohio, Notre Dame University, University of Kentucky and University of Minnesota.

KU’s debate team will travel this weekend to Austin, Texas, for competitions at the University of Texas Open Tournament.

The top KU student debaters at Augustana College are listed below by hometown, major and level in school, parents’ names and high schools attended.

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

From Overland Park 66213
Kyle Shernuk, senior in East Asian languages and cultures and pre-medicine, son of Kurt and Pamela Shernuk; Blue Valley Northwest High School.

From Overland Park 66224
Erum Shah, senior in political science, daughter of Pir and Saieda Shah; Blue Valley Northwest High School.

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

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