Louisiana Tech’s debate team is the state of Louisiana Champions for 2022.
During the state tournament this past weekend, Tech’s debate team received the highest honor for the tournament.
Megan Smith, debate team coach and instructor of communication, said the team had a really impressive showing at the weekend’s event.
“I am honored to coach these exceptional students and enter them in tournaments so they can showcase their talent across the state and beyond,” Smith said. “They have worked very hard for this honor and their hard work showed in their results.”
Smith said this award is the highest honor for the tournament and includes the total points from every event offered at the tournament. Tech’s team competed against schools from across Louisiana including University of Louisiana-Lafayette, LSU-Shreveport, Louisiana College, Bossier Parish Community College and LSU.
The team won multiple first-place awards at the tournament. The tournament, Southern Forensics Championships, serves as the yearly state tournament for Louisiana, Mississippi and Arkansas collegiate debate and speech teams.
Among the team’s first-place accolades, the team won the Louisiana state champion title in debate. Emmitt Antwine, a sophomore math major, is the Louisiana state individual champion for the entire tournament.
“This means out of every Louisiana student entered in the tournament, Antwine had more points than any other Louisiana competitor,” Smith said. “He was first place in the state in varsity debate and extemporaneous speaking. He is also the Louisiana state champion varsity speaker.”
Alec Edstrom, a sophomore computer science major, is the Louisiana state champion in informative speaking. Nate Goldstein, a sophomore communication major, is the Louisiana champion in debate for the junior varsity division.
Additional victories included Kailee Carter, a senior accounting major, who is the second-place Louisiana state champion in debate in the novice division. Kendrick Kruskie, a Tech alumni, is the second-place Louisiana state champion in debate in the professional division. Goldstein and Carter were both quarter-finalists in their divisions.
Madison Plaisance, a freshman communication major; Kara Taylor, a senior communication major; Neel Patel, a junior engineering major, and Anthony Copeland, a junior engineering major, all competed in the tournament. They each contributed to the points that ultimately lead to the team securing the first place spot in the state.
“Our team is like a family,” said Antwine, team captain. “We each bring something to the table. This weekend I was extremely proud of the way we came together to uplift one another in each round. As a result, Louisiana Tech University are your state champs.”
