Another strong outing for debate and speech

Drury's competitive debate and speech teams returned this weekend after an excellent weekend at Webster University's 2006 Tournament (sporting a partial roster of students).

Drury placed 2nd overall out of the top 20 speech teams ranking only behind Lafayette College (PA) who made an unexpected foray into the Midwest. Drury also placed 4th overall out of 35 schools in combined debate and speech sweepstakes.

Drury placed ahead of teams such as Arkansas State, William Jewell, Washington University, Truman State, Central Missouri State, Missouri Southern, Purdue University, Creighton, Mizzou, Loyola (chicago) and Notre Dame. Drury ranked above all other Missouri colleges/universities this weekend!

Notables include:

• The Varsity Debate team of freshman Mark Dapp & sophomore Spencer Harris were the #4 seed coming out of preliminary rounds. Dapp/Harris won a double octofinal round against a Western Kentucky team, an octofinal round against a Mizzou team, a quarterfinal round against a Western Kentucky team before finally losing a close round to Mizzou's Dudly/Shaw (a team ranked in the top 3 of 600 last year). Harris was also the top Varsity Lincoln Douglas speaker and the 6th best Varsity Pairs Speaker of the weekend. Both Dapp and Harris lost close octofinal debates to exit the Varsity Lincoln Douglas Tournament.

• Sophomore Brandy Enver was the 2nd best overall competitor in varsity speaking events. Enver was the weekend champion on Varsity Programmed Oral Interpretation, 2nd best Varsity Poetry Interpretation & 2nd best Varsity After Dinner Speaker.

• Junior Jessica Redmond tied for 6th overall competitor in varsity speaking events. Redmond placed 5th in Varstiy Informative Speaking and 3rd in Varsity Poetry Interpretation.

• Sophomore Jeff Davis was the 5th (of 64) best Varsity Lincoln Douglas debater coming out of preliminary rounds. Davis lost a close elimination round to Central Missouri's McCambridge.

• Sophomore Carly Crocker placed 4th in Varsity Communication Analysis and 4th in Varsity After Dinner Speaking.

• Freshman Jordanna McLeod placed 5th in Varsity After Dinner Speaking.