MISSION COMPLETED
UVM #6 in Nation Overall
Final Tournaments Disappoint

While the results from the final tournaments could have been better, the Lawrence Debate Union completed its 2004-2005 season and
placed highly in all levels. When the dust settled and Berkeley Defeated Dartmouth for the Cross Examination Debate Association national varsity championship at CEDA Nationals in San Francisco and Northwestern had defeated Berkeley for the American Forensic Association National Debate Tournament varsity championship in Spokane, UVM could hold is collective heads high. The young squad graduates only two debaters and looks forward to more success in the future.

| LDU alums in San Francisco | LDU group at Golden Gate |

In the CEDA national sweepstakes race Vermont finished #6 overall. This sweepstakes keeps track of results at all tournaments in all divisions and recognizes success through the season. Although Vermont had entered the last CEDA tournament at #5 a strong showing by Dartmouth enabled them to edge UVM and push the Catamounts back to #6. The standings of the top 50 are below.

Programs 1-15	Programs 16-30	Programs 31-50
1 California Berkeley 2 Harvard 3 Liberty 4 Emory 5 Dartmouth 6 Vermont 7 Northwestern 8 Mary Washington 9 Army 10 Binghamton 11 Wayne State 12 Rochester 13 Cornell 14 UMKC 15 Oklahoma	16 Kansas 17 Texas 18 Idaho State 19 SW Missouri 20 Michigan State 21 Wake Forest 22 Pittsburgh 23 Whitman 24 Augustana IL 25 Trinity 26 Clarion 27 Central Oklahoma 28 Alabama 29 Kansas City CC 30 Samford	31 West Virginia 32 Wyoming 33 Vanderbilt 34 Case Western 35 CSUFullerton 36 Los Angeles CC 37 CSUChico 38 Georgia 39 Emporia State 40 West Georgia 41 San Francisco St 42 Cal Poly SLO 43 Redlands 44 Michigan 45 Arizona State 46 Louisville 47 CSUNorthridge 48 Texas San Antonio 49 Iowa 50 Florida State

At the CEDA National tournament five teams attended, but unfortunately none made the elimination rounds. "Our youth finally caught up to us, that and jet lag," noted coach Snider. "We arrived very late on Friday night (5 AM ET) and had to debate early the next morning. As a result we lost some of our usual sharpness, and in debate a little difference makes all the difference." Teams included Jason Hitchcock and Nick Landsman-Roos, Emily Sanders and Aimee Rosato, Shane Clark and Chase Whiting, Jake Meany and Brady Fletcher, and Leslie Keller and Megan Harlow. At the tournament Nick Landsman-Roos was named to the All American National Debate Team. "We took a lot of young debaters to CEDA nationals and all of them won a couple of debates," noted Justin Morgan Parmett, "and three of our teams had members with novice eligibility."

The trip certainly would not have been possible without the gracious support of LDU alumni both financially and personally. Teresa Hill flew up from Los Angeles to judge, Abigail Trebilcock now works in SF and was gracious enough to judge, Eric Mates was on the west coast and served as a judge. Current coaches and alumni Helen and Justin Morgan Parmett along with vibrant offspring Nakobe provided their usual excellent coaching. Meanwhile alumni Laura and Glenn Ellingson supplied housing and food and Mike Calore served as entertainment guide and host. Mike also handed out buttons to debaters with the color face of Edwin Lawrence on them to provide identity within obscurity. Laura and Glenn staged a lavish lasagna feast, Abigail provided a dinner at tournament end, and Mike took people on sightseeing tours and cultural visits.

<== Marty, Green, Landsman-Roos, Hitchcock and Snider in Spokane

After a one day break Nick and Jason proceeded to Spokane, Washington the attend the AFA's NDT. Unlike CEDA nationals with an open invitation policy, the NDT takes only the nation's top teams after they survive a qualifying process. Nick and Jason were the surprise winners of the District 8 (New York and New England) tournament and earned a coveted NDT bid although they are only sophomores. Because of the extended trip and family obligation the coaching staff was reshuffled for the NDT. Alumna Jillian Marty, now a doctoral fellow at the University of Alabama, volunteered to come along to coach and judge as did long-time LDU friend Justin Green of Georgetown. The NDT requires two judges for each team. The squad was closely followed by the College Sports Television Network and will be featured in the coming program on the event. Stay tuned for details. The tournament was challenging and difficult, resulting in many split 2-1 decisions, usually not in UVM's favor. The team did not reach the elimination rounds. "Youth and determination are on our side." noted Snider, "and I predict we will be back again and again. Personally, I did a horrible coaching job, as I was as sick as I have been at a debate tournament in 30 years, but you have to keep on going. The debaters seemed to understand that some of my coaching advice was a bit feverish." It could be that the 110 travel days for debate Snider has logged this season were catching up to him.

It was a huge trip lasting thirteen days and involving twenty people. The generosity of alums really made it all possible. They gave of their time, homes and income to make this huge undertaking possible. "We could have done better," noted Snider, "but number six will have to do. Just about every school in the top twenty has twice a big a budget as we do, and most of them recruit top high school debaters and put them on scholarship. It hurts sometimes, but we can compete even with fewer resources and less experience. That speaks to the determination of our students and coaches."