Debate Team Wins Title

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Photo courtesy of Media Services

Varsity - Members of the UAM Debate Team include (from left) coach Scott Kuttenkuler, Matt Baumgarten, J.B. Duncan, Brooke Flemister, Brian Rauls, Tim Williamson, Whitney Romans, Clay Young, Eric Bell and Ashley Brock. (Not pictured: Joel Brown and Lydia Gorse.)

   University of Arkansas at Monticello sophomore Brian Rauls of Bearden won the varsity debate competition at last week's "Red River Classic" debate tournament hosted by LSU-Shreveport.  

   Rauls' championship was his first in varsity debate competition and was one of nine awards captured by UAM students.

   Sophomore Joel Brown and senior Matt Baumgarten of Monticello also made it through the elimination rounds, reaching the quarterfinals. Brown received a sixth place award in extemporaneous speaking and two third place awards in pentathlon, which includes competition in at least five different events.

   In the novice debate competition, Fountain Hill freshman Ashley Brock and Crossett sophomore Whitney Romans reached the elimination rounds. Romans finished as an octa-finalist while Brock was eliminated in the quarterfinals.

   Tim Williamson, a sophomore from Monticello, won a fifth-place individual speaker award in the novice debate division.  

  Other students competing for UAM were Brooke Flemister, a sophomore from Monticello; Lydia Gorse, a sophomore from Texarkana, Texas; Eric Bell, a freshman from Eudora; Clay Young, a freshman from Wilmar; and J.B. Duncan, a sophomore from Monticello.  

   Scott Kuttenkuler, director of forensics at UAM, praised his team's effort.

   "This team is improving with every tournament," Kuttenkuler said. "We are establishing ourselves as a team to beat on the debate circuit."

   UAM's next competition will be Dec. 1-3 at Cameron University in Lawton, Okla.

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