The Wichita State University debate team competed successfully in its first major national debate during the weekend of Nov. 15-16.

In a competition at Wake Forest University, the team of Matt Coleman and Eric Robinson qualified for the elimination rounds after posting a 5-1 record in the preliminary rounds.

With nearly 150 teams in the competition, the team from WSU earned the 16th seed and was one of 32 teams to advance to the single-elimination bracket. 

The team lost in a 2-1 decision to Harvard University in the first elimination debate.

Jeff Jarman

"We were thrilled to do this well," he said. "We knew that our team was good, but this was our first showing at a national tournament. It's nice to confirm what we thought we knew, which is that we're nationally competitive."

The debate team has a break in competition until early January, when it will travel to the University of North Texas and the University of Texas at Dallas.