From left to right, Jack Stewart ’14, Colin Etnire ’12, Emily Meade ’14, Alix Sentner ’14, Victoria Sliwa ’14, Emily Schwalbe ’14, Sarah Maneval ’14 and Nate Sweet ’11 in the Bay Area for the 2011 Stanford APDA Tournament.

Several BQDC members briefly escaped freezing temperatures this past March 3rd to 6th, travelling to the 2011 Stanford APDA Debate Tournament for a successful effort on the “Best Coast.” Six first-year members of the BQDC joined Colin Etnire ’12 and Nate Sweet ’11 on the trip to Palo Alto: Alix Sentner ’14, Jack Stewart ’14, Vic Sliwa ’14, Sarah Maneval ’14, Emily Schwalbe ’14, and Emily Meade ’14. The group enjoyed downtime in San Francisco and Palo Alto, thanks to the hospitality of Mr. Etnire and Ms. Haley, who together housed all eight team members each night of their stay while also serving as guides and companions to the group, several of whom were visiting California for the first time.

Following a brief post-red-eye nap, the eight Batesies spent much of Friday touring San Francisco, including a trip to a lookout point by the Golden Gate Bridge and lunch near the pier. Friday evening the group then departed to Palo Alto for the opening two rounds of the tournament. Following a fun evening debating and relaxing in Palo Alto, the BQDC debaters completed a strong showing amidst diverse competition Saturday, garnering three speaker awards and breaking a team to novice semifinals.

Etnire ranked 10th for varsity speakers, while Stewart and Sliwa took 5th and 8th novice speakers, respectively. Stewart and Sentner advanced to the first round of novice outrounds before a loss to Duke first-years ended the tournament for the group, who proceeded to cap their voyage with a second night in San Francisco. The group, ambivalently greeting familiar blasts of freezing wind upon arriving at the Portland airport, voiced a common sentiment of appreciation for and satisfaction with their shared experience.