by Stacey Mleczko
Staff Writer
La Verne’s finest debaters brought back extra cargo in the form of victory to the University from the World Debate Championship last month in Australia.
Senior political science major Justin Jones-Rodriguez and junior international studies major Sean Krispinsky, placed second at the tournament.
The two-man team established ULV in the world of debate when they disqualified Oxford University in the semifinal forging ahead to the grand final. This advance boosted La Verne to one of the top four positions in the world and recognized ULV as the only non-Ivy League school to ever proceed to the grand final.
“To make it to the grand final is an amazing accomplishment,” ULV debate coach Ian Lising said of his team, the first American team to capture such a victory since Vasser College in 1994. “Nothing short of phenomenal.”
For those unfamiliar with the importance of such a tournament, the grand final is equivalent in debate to the World Series in baseball or the Super Bowl in football.
More than 200 teams from 100-plus universities and more than 30 countries attended the 20th Annual Championship in Sydney during January.
“It [the competition] was very rough, one of the most competitive World Championships I’ve ever attended. This is my seventh,” Lising said.
Jones-Rodriguez and Krispinsky were not the only La Verne contestants. Lising also accompanied ULV’s second team, Stefan Chacon, a junior economics major, and Ernie Minner, a junior philosophy major, who placed 88th out of 197 participants in the preliminaries.
“There was a buzz about Sean and Justin. People weren’t shocked they took second place, they were shocked at who didn’t,” said Chacon of his teammates’ success. “We’ve made a name for ourselves. From now on they’ll see us coming.”
Now that the World Championship is over, National and Regional tournaments are the next challenge for the debate team, Lising said.
Being ranked No. 2 in the world might bring on intimidating expectations for most competitors, but Chacon said “it’s motivating.”
Krispinsky and Jones-Rodriguez sustained their title last weekend taking second place at the Point Loma Nazarene University Invitational. “I don’t see any reason why those guys can’t win Nationals and I have pretty high hopes for myself,” Chacon said.
The debate team is not just international, national or regional. It wants to focus locally as well. “We want to do things inside of school. When we hold debates, go watch. If your interested, get involved,” said Chacon.
Lising and the team welcomes all new members. Visit the debate office inside the student center for further information.
Stacey Mleczko
