BAYTOWN, Texas – The LSUS Debate team kicked off its 2023-24 season in high fashion by winning the team debate sweepstakes at the Mendoza Debates at Lee College in late September.
Two Pilots duos were named co-champions in the team debate category as Mallory Tallory/Jordan Guillot and CJ Longino/Cameron Theole reached the finals. Pairs from the same team don’t debate each other, so co-champions are declared.
Longino was named first-place speaker with Theole claiming fifth-place speaker in the team format.
LSUS claimed third place in the individual sweepstakes and third place in the overall sweepstakes.
“I am so proud of how much this team worked leading up to this first tournament,” said LSUS debate coach A.J. Edwards, the reigning IPDA Coach of the Year. “Most of the team is returning after having a young team last year.
“Watching the experienced members guide and mentor the younger members is inspiring. The team grew close in a very short time, which reflected in how they cared for and supported each other during a very long weekend.”
Individually, LSUS speakers advanced deep into the tournament across multiple divisions.
In the professional ranks (graduate students), Megan Veilleux took fourth-place speaker as a quarterfinalist while Daniel Davis reached the quarterfinals.
Cameron Theole was a second-place speaker at the varsity level, and Jordan Guillot was an octofinalist (round of 16).
Bailey Brown claimed second-place speaker and was a junior varsity octofinalist.
Addison Jacobsen advanced to the quarterfinals of the novice division.
The Pilots hit the road again in the first week of October as they head to Central Missouri.
“We’re off to a good start, but there is so much more this team can achieve.”
