CARBONDALE - There is no argument that the Southern Illinois University Carbondale debate team is ready for another championship.

The team claimed the national parliamentary debate championship in 2008 and was a runner up in 2009. Todd Graham, director of the debate program, said in nine of the 10 years he has been with the program, the team has at least finished in the top 20.

"SIUC has a long tradition of really good debate teams," Graham said.

The 2009-10 team consists of Kevin Calderwood, a senior in political science from Chesterfield, Mo.; Mike Selck, a freshman in speech communication from Blue Springs, Mo.; Brandon Merrell, a junior in economics and political science from Snohomish, Wash.; Jeff Jones, a junior in communication from Belleville and teaching assistant Kyle Cheesewright.

Graham said to prepare for debates he encourages team members to spend several hours a day keeping up with current events. They are split up into teams of two and are usually given about 20 minutes to prepare for a subject in a tournament. Subjects have included American foreign policy, healthcare, campaign finance reform and alternative energy research.

Selck said that he loves being on the team because of the travel, and it helps him academically.

"Not only am I learning about these subjects, but it helps a lot with study skills," Selck said.

Merrell, whose specialty is economics, left Western Kentucky University to attend SIUC to be part of the debate team. He said the team has a really good reputation, as does its coach.

"I wanted the opportunity to work with Todd Graham, who is probably the best debate coach in the country," Merrell said. "That's not something you say no to."

At the end of October the team will compete in tournaments at the University of California in Berkley and the University of the Pacific in Stockton, Calif. Calderwood. Merrell and Calderwood recently defeated Texas Tech University at a tournament at William Jewell College near Kansas City, Mo.

codell.rodriguez@thesouthern.com

618-351-5804