Vitoria Drost
Staff Writer

With its largest base ever, the University of La Verne debate team is making history this year. The team is headed by not one, but two captains and to top it off, they are both women.

The squad is proud to boast seniors Brenna Lampson and Amanda Elsasser as their first women captains. Lampson is in her second year with ULV Debate, and Elsasser, a senior, has been a debate team member since her sophomore year and has competed with the team in Canada and England.

“I think that one of the neatest things about this school is that we don’t only have students from ULV - surrounding campuses participate in our debates, including San Bernardino, Claremont and Loyola Marymount University,” Elsasser said. “They come not to just compete with us but for the renowned coaching of ULV’s debate team.”

People who participate in debate often get branded as nerds that wear pocket protectors, Elsasser said.

“However, we have a different dynamic, there are students from all aspects of campus. We have athletes, business majors and previous cheerleaders,” said Elsasser, a political science major, who hopes to go to law school. “I hope this program keeps growing…I want people to be more aware of what’s going on in the world.”

“At least, debate is a vessel where we can examine the politics of the world and decisions that are being made by our government, which will effect generations to come,” she said.

Lampson, who is double majoring in philosophy and speech communications, is proud to be captain this year.

“For me it’s an honor to represent and lead the debate team,” Lampson said. “There are a lot of wonderful and talented students representing the team this year, so it is important as one of their leaders.

“It takes 110 percent effort at all times, I know that there will be times when this team will really have to hunker down and get to work, but I also know there will be plenty of opportunities to relax and have fun,” she added.

Assistant Professor of Speech and Debate Ian Lising, who has been the team’s coach since 1999, thinks highly of his captains.

“I think its fantastic,” Lising said. “It’s the first time in recent memory that a female has held this position.

“It shows the quality of the increasing number of women in debate,” he added. “They were voted in because they are the best people for the job. They truly are great ambassadors for the team.”

This is not only a historic ?time because of the team’s leadership, but also because the debate team has the largest roster to date. There are 67 students involved in debate this year.

And with ULV debate currently ranked 11th in the world and first in the United States, above such prestigious Ivy League colleges like Harvard, Princeton and Yale, Lising’s coaching regimen appears to be paying off.

In addition to the team’s impressive overall ranking, ULV debate boasts seven speakers ranked in this nation’s top 30 with ULV’s Josh Martin, Rob Ruiz and John Patrick ranking the top 10, holding first, second and seventh places respectively.

There is a new crop of debaters looking to shake up some of the team’s veterans.

“It is refreshing to see so many new faces intermingling with familiar ones around campus,” Lampson said. “And to see that a lot of the newer students are giving the seasoned debaters and adjudicators a run for their money.”

This year ULV debaters are currently scheduled to compete in the Canadian University Society for Intercollegiate debate championship in Vancouver, British Columbia, the 2006 world universities debating Championship in Dublin, Ireland and locally in the American Open in Eagle Rock.

Vitoria Drost can be reached at vitoriadrost@hotmail.com.