UAA debaters dominate regional tournament

On Oct. 28-29, 16 members of the Seawolf Debate Team traveled to Vancouver, British Columbia, to compete in the University of British Columbia Intervarsity debate competition.  This year's event, boasted 36 of the top teams in western Canada and the Pacific Northwest.

Over the course of five preliminary rounds and two elimination rounds, the debaters engaged one another on a diverse set of topics ranging from whether gay politicians have a personal duty to out themselves to whether eco-terrorism is a legitimate form of opposition to environmentally destructive economic activities.

At the conclusion of five preliminary rounds, the top eight two-person teams advanced to the semifinal round. Earning 13 of 15 possible points in preliminary rounds, the teams of Brett Frazer (senior, Biology) and Amy Parrent (junior, Business) and Colin Haughey (senior, Philosophy) and Drew Cason (senior, Environment & Society) found themselves atop the pool of talent as the first and second seeds in the tournament.

After a superb showing in the semifinal, Frazer and Parrent narrowly missed the cut as one of the four teams in the final round. The team of Haughey and Cason, however, dominated their opponents in the semifinal and assured themselves a spot in the championship round.  After a lengthy deliberation, a team from the University of Calgary was eventually crowned champion of the final round.

Nevertheless, seven Seawolves distinguished themselves in the top 20 of more than 70 speakers in the tournament: Frazer (top speaker), Haughey (4th speaker), Parrent (5th speaker), Cason (7th speaker), and -- in a four-way tie for 16th speaker -- Wiley Cason (junior, undeclared), Jon Stinson (junior, Political Science), and Zac Johnson (senior, Aviation Technology).

In two weeks, the Seawolves will compete in the Canadian circuit's championship tournament. For more information, please contact Steve Johnson (907) 786-4391 or Shawn Briscoe )907) 786-4354. You may also visit the team's website at www.uaa.alaska.edu/seawolfdebate/.