The University of Massachusetts Policy Debate Team participated in the Cross-Examination Debate Association’s East Regional Championships. The team was also named The Cross-Examination Debate Association’s East Debate Program of the Year by secret debate society SAMBA (Society Advocating More and Better Argumentation.).

“The only thing that makes them secret is the handshake, everyone knows who they are,” said David Gove, the co-chair of the debate team and sophomore computer science major.

The novice and junior varsity teams were sent to represent UMass to debate on the United States and European relations. Alex Ambroz, a junior and finance and operations management major, received Top Speaker Overall in the novice division and Randy Brueckner, a freshman and legal studies major, succeeded to the quarterfinals of the novice division before losing.

Cailin Campbell, a sophomore history major, and David Ryan, a senior physics major, made it to the finals in the junior varsity division and finished second place overall. Ryan received an award for being the eight Speaker Overall in the division.

The competition was held at Marist College in Poughkeepsie, NY on Feb. 27-29.

Besides UMass, approximately 30 other schools competed in the East Regional Championship.

During the debates, six teams of two debate in a preliminary round. The winners go to “out-rounds,” which are like play-offs, according to Gove.

The current policy debate team at UMass is three years old. In the past, UMass has had successful debate teams but the popularity dwindled in the 1990’s and then the team became nonexistent, according to a press release written by the debate team.

In 2000, four people formed a new debate team at UMass, but they weren’t recognized as a Registered Student Organization by the Student Government Association until the end of the spring semester, 2001, according to the press release.

There are now 12 people on the student-run debate team and they are always accepting new members.

According to the press release, “debate isn’t merely some student activity, it is a major part of their institution’s competition with other schools. No school we have debated against or heard about is entirely student-run like we are.”

The debate team aspires to compete in more debates and belong to more debate associations, such as the Cross-Examination Debate Association, for which they pay a member fee of $50, according to Gove. Most funding comes from alumni.

The UMass Policy Debate Team meets every Monday night at 7:30 p.m. in the Campus Center. Students interested are encouraged to check out the website www.debate.vze.com or email at [email protected].

The UMass Policy Debate Team is holding a mock tournament on Apr. 24 and 25. Flyers will be posted when the location is decided.