From http://www.southernillinoisan.com/articles/2008/03/22/local/23847020.txt
The Great Debaters
By Scott Fitzgerald, The Southern
Saturday, March 22, 2008 11:09 PM CDT
CARBONDALE - They looked tired and a little withdrawn Thursday as they sat at a Kleinau Theater stage table in the Communications Building at Southern Illinois University Carbondale.
Kyle Dennis, a senior majoring in economics, looked to be rubbing sleep out of his eyes.
Dennis and his fellow SIUC students - Kevin Calderwood, a junior majoring in political science; Adam Testerman, a sophomore majoring in philosophy; and Katie Thomas, a junior majoring in political science - looked totally spent with no sign of hostility or resentfulness, a sight that would likely be welcomed by any SIUC professor.
Why?
Because each student gave a 110 percent a week earlier preparing for the National Parliamentary Tournament of Excellence at the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma, Wash.
As a result, they captured first place and are champions among all major universities with debate teams in the United States.
The win adds to a string of impressive accomplishments this season for Saluki debaters that includes first-place finishes in the prestigious Creighton Open Invitation Debate Tournament at Creighton University in Omaha, Neb., last fall and the Point Loma Nazarene University tournament in San Diego, Calif., this winter.
Last week's first-place finish at the national tournament is a monumental achievement that debate team director Todd Graham said has not likely seeped in yet for his team members.
"It's taking a bit to set in," Graham said, smiling as he looked at his team.
It's sinking in, however, for the SIUC community and will persevere for years to come. All anyone has to do is take a look at the hardware inside the second floor communications building trophy case.
"After spending a number of years in elective office, I know about the hard work and the long hours of preparation that are necessary to develop persuasive arguments," said SIU President Glenn Poshard. "We are very proud of the accomplishments of the debate team and director Todd Graham. They have had an outstanding season, and all of those successes - capped by winning the national championship - prove that we don't take a back seat to anyone in the academic arena."
Likewise, Nathan Stucky, chairperson of the department of speech communications, also had kind words for the Saluki debaters.
"Winning the national championship on top of a stellar season this year is a fabulous accomplishment," Stucky said. "This is something all of us at SIUC can celebrate. I'm very proud of our team and the fine work of our assistant coaches and of Todd Graham. We're the underdog up against bigger and better financed teams, and our Salukis cleared the field."
Graham worked his debaters hard for the national tournament.
They arrived in Seattle four days before the tournament began March 14 and worked straight for three of those days on just five hours of sleep every 24 hours. SIUC debaters never left their downtown Seattle hotel until the tournament started.
Calderwood said he and his teammates realized the value of the intense effort and preparation.
"We wouldn't have won it if he (Graham) had not worked us as hard as he did," Calderwood said.
And the Saluki debate team is not done.
They will travel to the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colo., this week to compete in the National Parliamentary Debate Association National Tournament beginning Thursday through Monday.
"It's really important to us to win another one. We've got another week," Calderwood said.
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