Published January 16, 2008
A member of the University of Wyoming debate team was honored as the top overall speaker among 180 competitors during recent back-to-back tournaments in Denver.
Jess Ryan, a senior communication major from Lander, received the recognition this
January at Denver University.
Ryan, and his partner, Sheridan senior and squad president Tony Roberts,
out-spoke debaters from throughout the United States, and received
three consecutive perfect scores.
It marked the second consecutive year that Ryan was cited as the top overall speaker
at the Denver tournaments.
The award is the latest in Ryan's speaking career. He was also named top
speaker at the University of Puget Sound round robin and open
tournaments, top speaker at Claremont College, and second speaker at
UW's tournament.
Joining Ryan and Roberts with winning records, and elimination round
advancement at the tournaments, were the two-person teams of Lindsey
DeVries (Glenrock) and Jeffrey Fife (Riverton); Kathryn Starkey
(Jackson) and Nick Larmer (Gillette); and Jeremiah Etcheverry (Rock
Springs) and Andrea Garfinkel (Fort Collins, Colo.).
UW placed third overall at the competition in a debate-fest that
included 22 individual debates among 32 colleges and universities.
