By JULIE MILLER

Staff Writer

Nine debate students piled into an 11-passenger van last Thursday bringing along enough luggage to last them four days.

The group drove nine hours to Cameron University in Lawton, Okla., for its first year's participation in the Cameron Christmas Classic, an annual tournament.

Trey Gibson, director of debate and an instructor of speech, said he was very proud of the team's outcome this trip.

"There was some incredible competition there," Gibson said.

Gibson said some of the the competing schools included University of Oklahoma in Norman, Okla., and Southwest Baptist University in Bolivar, Mo.

The team placed fourth out of 18 in debate sweepstakes, an overall team award.

"The highlight was that we advanced two people to elimination in public debate," Gibson said.

Lynsie Fielder, a junior speech communications major, made it to the quarterfinals, allowing Levy Leatherman, a senior speech major, to advance to semifinals.

"The debate's placement brackets are similar to that of a tennis match," Gibson said.

"Because of the way the placement brackets were, Leatherman was the higher seed, so he advanced over her. We make it a policy to never debate ourselves."

Fielder said she did not mind letting her teammate advance.

"I would have liked to have gone further," she said.

"But it doesn't bother me as long as someone gets it. We have a wonderful team, and I'm proud of all of them."

Public debate participants get 30 minutes to prepare for topics.

This debate included topics such as the overreaction of Romeo and Juliet, the use of marijuana for monetary and medical purposes and the burning of the rebel flag.

Brooke Swanson, a senior accounting major, and Kris Lucas, a freshman political science major, made it to semifinals as a team in parliamentary debate.

"I'm excited about it all," Swanson said.

In parliamentary debate, each team has 15 minutes to arrange its ideas.

Current event issues brought up in the debate included why President George W. Bush needed a lump of coal in his stocking, in which the team argued about the energy policy, the evolution of big oil and tax credit on sport utility vehicles.

"We can end up arguing any issue," Gibson said. "You just name it, they can debate it."

Along with their other accomplishments, two members of the team also came home with tournament trophies in the form of a nutcracker.

Leatherman placed fourth in public debate and Swanson received first place in novice parliamentary debate.

Every member earned points for the team as a whole. Swanson said, "It was a great trip and we're all glad we get to represent Tech."