News Article

            The Gonzaga University debate team took the 5 a.m. red-eye flight to Boston this morning for the Harvard University tournament Saturday through Monday in Cambridge, Mass., seeking to improve upon their No. 9 national varsity rankings.
            The Bulldog debaters slipped four spots from No. 5 in the National Debate Tournament rankings after the Ray Buchanan Invitational tournament at Pepperdine University in Malibu, Calif., last weekend, Oct. 19-21, was canceled. The devastating Southern California wildfires that have torched nearly a half-million acres and caused several deaths also apparently are to blame for the Zags’ slide in the rankings, said Gonzaga debate Coach Glen Frappier.
            Frappier said the Bulldogs were poised to have a break-out tournament last weekend, until the wildfires, whipped up by the blustery Santa Ana winds, put an abrupt halt to the tourney. Fortunately, none of the Gonzaga debaters was in danger, although the team was unable to fly home from Los Angeles until Monday.
            “I’ll take a Top 10 ranking going into this tournament,” said Frappier, who anticipates the Bulldogs ascending in the rankings after this weekend.
            “This is probably the toughest tournament of the year, outside of the National Debate Tournament,” he said. “There are only 84 teams, representing 35 to 40 schools, and it’s pretty much the top 84 in the nation. It’s always a challenge.”
            Following is the list of the Top 10 collegiate teams in the NDT rankings: