The Parliamentary Union, Wabash College’s debate team, took third overall at the Indiana Forensic Association state debate tournament on the campus of IUPUI. Fritz Coutchie ’15 and Nick Freeman ’15 competed in the varsity division while James Fritz ’16 and Steven Peters ’16, competed in the junior varsity division. Debate topics ranged from whether or not Indiana should implement a pre-K voucher program for low income families to the problems caused by Federal invasions of privacy.
Coutchie and Freeman took second place in the varsity division. They accumulated a 3-1 record in preliminary rounds and advanced to semi-finals, along with three teams from Purdue. Coutchie and Freeman won the debate on a 2-1 decision before losing to an undefeated Purdue team in the tournament finals. “Taking second place was an affirmation of the core Wabash values,” Coutchie remarked. “Most teams engage in structured practices and prepare for specific topics prior to each tournament. The Wabash teams rely on critical thinking, Liberal Arts backgrounds, and strong communicative skills to drive their arguments. Earning second place in the state tournament proves the strength of the Wabash model.”
With a combined 6-4 record, Wabash placed third in the overall state sweepstakes, one spot ahead of DePauw. Professor Jeff Drury, Faculty Advisor of Parliamentary Union and Assistant Professor in the Rhetoric Department said “I am proud of the passion and effort our members bring to the team, especially when facing debaters with more experience.”
Purdue, who won the varsity division, also placed first in the state competition while IUPUI, who closed out the junior varsity division, placed second.
There are four more tournaments on the spring calendar for the Wabash team, including worlds-style nationals at Purdue University, April 11-13.