The Carroll College Talking Saints forensics team won 36 awards, dominated World Debate and finished second overall in the Mahaffey Memorial Collegiate Forensics Tournament at Linfield College on November 13-15. Linfield is one of three tournaments that determine the regional championship.
Four Carroll debaters were chosen to represent their country in an international Skype debate against teams from Afghanistan in a special international event during the weekend. The teams debated whether Afghanistan would be better off with a secular government.
“Hearing Afghani students discuss politics, war and religion was eye-opening,” said Carroll professor and coach Brent Northup. “One Afghan team worried that moving too quickly towards secular democratic values could backfire.” Afghanistan also participates in World Debate, making the exchange comfortable for the Carroll teams.
Eighteen of the 21 Carroll team members brought home awards competing against 35 schools from eight states including squads from New York, California and Colorado. Boise State, coached by Talking Saints alumna Manda Hicks ’97, beat the Talking Saints to win first place sweepstakes recognition.