Wisconsin Forensics Daily

Rostrum Archive: Art McMillion

The National Forensic League has scanned and posted the September issues of the Rostrum from 1967, 1969, 1970, and 1971. Chronicling the previous year’s NFL National Tournaments, these issues contain content that any debate historian will surely find fascinating. The 1970 issue, for example, contains a congratulatory blurb about Art McMillion, the former West Bend and Eau Claire Memorial coach who is a member of both the WDCA and WFCA Halls of Fame.

Art McMillion Receives Second Diamond

Hopefully this is just the tip of the iceberg and the NFL continues to post new historical content.

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Carly Wunderlich Earns First Round Bid to the National Debate Tournament

Since 1973, the National Debate Tournament has awarded First Round At-Large Bids to the top sixteen college debate teams in the country; these “first round” teams are not required to compete at their district qualifying tournament. According to the 1973 NDT Book, “Sixteen teams were selected at-large by the National Debate Tournament committee on the basis of outstanding records prior to the District tournaments.” Beginning in 1990, the best-ranked first round team has been honored with the Copeland Award, the most distinguished award in college policy debate.

In the 36 years since the process was established, only a handful of Wisconsin-natives have received a first round bid. This year, Michigan State University junior and Brookfield Central High School alum Carly Wunderlich joined this prestigious list. Competing with senior Garrett Abelkop (Chattahoochee High School, Georgia), Carly has compiled an impressive record that includes reaching the double-octafinals at CSU-Fullerton, the octafinals at Georgia State and Wake Forest, and the quarterfinals at Kentucky, Harvard, USC, and Northwestern.

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West Bend East’s Doris Sexton Retiring After 32 Years of Coaching

Wisconsin is losing one of its longest tenured coaches next season and one of the most active contributors to the state’s forensic community. After 32 years as the head coach of West Bend East High School’s debate and forensics programs and after providing countless hours of service to the broader community, Doris Sexton is hanging up her timers and textbooks and sailing off into retirement.

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Posted in Columns, History, News, Thursday Thing To Read | 7 Comments »

WI Debate History: The Southern Bell Forum at Montgomery Bell Academy

One of the most prestigious policy debate tournaments in the country, the Southern Bell Forum has been hosted by Nashville’s Montgomery Bell Academy since 1983. As part of the 25th annual tournament’s invitation, MBA has provided complete elimination round results from all 24 previous competitions. Wisconsin has enjoyed a good deal of success at the Forum including a runner-up, two semifinalists, and eight total teams advancing to the elimination rounds. Complete results are available below the fold; if anyone is able to provide names for any of the teams for which they are missing (pre-2001), please post a comment.

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