By Selena Stevens

Russ Hubbard and Mike Tetzlaff advanced to the final round before losing to a team from Emory University at this year's first national collegiate debate tournament in Atlanta.

UK is hosting a major debate tournament. Story.

Oct. 3, 2001 (Lexington, Ky.) -- Two University of Kentucky seniors captured the second-place trophy at this year's first national collegiate debate tournament held in Atlanta.

Russ Hubbard, a senior political science major from Dallas, and Mike Tetzlaff, a senior business major from Buffalo Grove, Ill., advanced to the final round before losing to a team from Emory University.

In addition to the second-place team honor, Hubbard won the second-best speaker award. Hubbard and Tetzlaff won seven of the eight preliminary rounds and then defeated Mercer University in the octafinals, Harvard University in the quarterfinals and the University of West Georgia in the semi-finals.

UK Director of Debate J.W. Patterson and Assistant Director Roger Solt accompanied the team to Atlanta.

The UK Debate Team will host the National Thoroughbred Round Robin on Oct. 3 and 4 and the Kentucky National Henry Clay Tournament on Oct. 6 through 8. These two tournaments normally attract the nation's top college debaters.

This year's national intercollegiate debate topic calls for the federal government to make policy changes related to American Indians.