Idaho State University Sophomores Sweep Their Division - Win Tournament

The Idaho State University debate team won high honors at their third competition this season. On October 25-28, 2013 sophomores Brock Sondrup (Idaho Falls, ID) and Jakob Meng (Idaho Falls, ID), along with, freshman Sasha Ivanovic (Boise, ID) and Michael Eyre (Boise, ID) debated in parliamentary debate at The University of Puget Sound Logger Invitational in Tacoma, WA,

The sophomore team Sondrup and Meng took 1^st place in the junior varsity division. Meng was recognized as the 2^nd best speaker. Sondrup was awarded the 3^rd place speaking award. In preliminary debates there is one judge deciding who wins. In single elimination debates, debaters compete in front of a three judge panel made up of coaches from third party schools. Meng and Sondrup won ballots from all twelve judges in six preliminary debates and in two single elimination debates (semis and finals). They did not lose a single ballot.

Brock Sondrup & Jakob Meng.  Photo by Sarah T. Partlow Lefevre

Additionally, the freshman team, Ivanovic and Eyre have made improvements finishing with a 3-3 record in the varsity division after losing their last debate to tough team from The University of California at Berkley. However, the freshman team had an impressive win upsetting a nationally recognized team from The University of Oregon.

Out of the four tournaments that the James M. & Sharon E. Rupp Debate Society has traveled to this semester, this was their third final round appearance, and second tournament win. The University of Puget Sound tournament hosted schools from the west coast. Concordia University at Irvine, The University of California at Berkley, The University of Montana, The University of Oregon, and The University of Washington were in the field.  

“I am constantly inspired by the amount of work and research the debaters put in. We have a young team, but they continue to surprise me and exhibit a large amount of talent and an even stronger desire to learn, said assistant debate coach Roger Copenhaver. “Our debaters continue to show us that they have the ability to compete against some of the best teams in the nation.”

Director of the James M. & Sharon E. Rupp Debate Society, Sarah Partlow-Lefevre said, “We are lucky to have such talented coaches and debaters. Assistant Coach Copenhaver has helped them to focus on individual growth through teamwork. In this way, the debaters are building strong friendships and competitive success.”

The team finishes out its fall semester with two policy style debate tournaments at Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, North Carolina (November 15-19) and Weber State University in Ogden, Utah (November 22-25). 

Mike Eyre, Jakob Meng, Brock Sondrup, Sasha Ivanovic at UPS.  Photo by Roger Copenhaver.