KU News Release

LAWRENCE — For the first time in 17 years, the University of Kansas will send three teams to the National Debate Tournament, to be held March 19-23 at the University of California-Berkeley.

Mathew Petersen, Wichita senior, and Mark Wilkins, Topeka sophomore, became the third team from KU to qualify when they received an at-large invitation to the tournament based on their performance during the year. For KU, this is only the second time in the 64-year history of the tournament to have three teams qualify.

Two other KU teams had already received at-large invitations for ranking among the top 16 teams in the country. Those team members are Christopher Stone, Derby senior, and Patrick Kennedy, Leawood junior, and the team of Dylan Quigley, Wichita senior, and Sean Kennedy, Leawood junior.

“The entire squad is incredibly excited about qualifying a third team for nationals,” said debate coach Scott Harris. “Qualifying as a third team is the most difficult way to make it to the tournament because only six schools are allowed to qualify a third team. It means that you have to be one of the top six third teams in the country.”

Other schools that qualified three teams were Dartmouth College, Emory University, Northwestern University, University of California-Berkeley and Wake Forest University.

“Kansas universities will be well-represented at the National Debate Tournament this year,” Harris said. “KU has qualified three teams, Wichita State has qualified two teams, Emporia State has qualified two teams and Kansas State has qualified a team.”

The three National Debate Tournament teams will be joined by a fourth KU team, Andrew Jack, Lawrence and Manhattan junior, and Melanie Campbell, Lenexa sophomore, at the Cross Examination Debate Association National Tournament to be held March 25-28 at University of California-Berkeley.

Last year, the KU team of Brett Bricker and Nate Johnson won the National Debate Tournament. In 2008, Johnson and Christopher Stone finished second at the Cross Examination Debate Association National Tournament.

Bricker, Johnson and Harris will join the Topeka chapter of the KU Alumni Association in the St. Patrick’s Day Parade March 17 in Topeka. Bricker is a master’s degree student in communication studies and assistant debate coach. Johnson works in Washington, D.C., at the law offices of Mark Gidley, who was a member of KU’s 1983 National Debate Tournament championship team.

Debate team members are listed below by hometown, year in school, major, parents’ names and high school.

DOUGLAS COUNTY
From Lawrence 66049 and Manhattan
Andrew Dylan Jack, junior in chemical engineering, son of Steven Jack of Lawrence and Pamela Jack of Manhattan; Manhattan High School.

JOHNSON COUNTY
From Leawood 66206
Patrick Kennedy, junior in economics and Spanish, son of Chris and Joan Kennedy; Shawnee Mission East High School.

Sean Kennedy, junior in linguistics, son of Chris and Joan Kennedy; Shawnee Mission East High School.

From Lenexa 66215
Melanie Tara Campbell, sophomore in political science, daughter of Kevin and Petra Campbell; Shawnee Mission West High School, Overland Park.

RILEY COUNTY
From Manhattan 66503 and Lawrence
Andrew Dylan Jack. See DOUGLAS COUNTY

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

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

From Wichita 67218
Mathew Petersen, senior in economics, son of Laura Peterson-Miller and Virgil Miller; Wichita High School East.

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