The debate-team duo Thomas and Travis Babcock describe their partnership as a scrappy, unique team of underdogs.
The Babcocks are twins, and both are political science majors. They do a lot together, including debating on Wichita State’s team, peer-reviewing each other’s work and watching the Dallas Cowboys and Formula 1 racing.
When they started college, one of their main goals was to “break 16” in the National Debate Tournament (NDT), which they have done all four years, according to Thomas.
“We … got to the finals round of the National Debate Tournament, which is the top 16 teams,” Travis said. “Our seating placed us at 12 in the nation.”
They also broke 32 in the NDT twice and competed in the Cross Examination Debate Association (CEDA) National Tournament while making Shocker history.
All three WSU teams that participated in the CEDA National Championship placed in the top 32. According to Thomas, this is a first in Wichita State history. The brothers also made it to the octafinals, the first time Wichita State has accomplished that in 12 years.
The Babcocks said WSU’s debate team has positively influenced their lives.
“I don’t think me and Travis could ever say enough words to the people on the debate team for their assistance this year,” Thomas said. “I don’t think they’ll ever know how useful and helpful they’ve been, but I don’t think we would have ever achieved what we had achieved without all of the support around us.”
Debate members who didn’t qualify for the national tournament still flew out to help and be there for the Babcocks.
“I remember that meant a lot,” Thomas said.
Both Thomas and Travis said their time at WSU was unique because they are twins who always knew exactly what the other wanted and how to get there.
“It got to the point at our last ever debate tournament, where during prep, we said maybe 10 words to each other every debate, which is unheard of,” Thomas said. “We work just like a machine.”
With more than 400 collective debates under their belt, Thomas said he and his twin have grown more independent in some ways and more dependent in others during college. The twins have several hobbies independent from each other. Thomas enjoys bowling, painting and cooking, and Travis likes to go thrifting and play disc golf.
“We probably see each other now less than we’ve ever seen each other in our entire lives,” Thomas said. “We’ll go months without even talking to each other, but it’s kind of weird because when you get into debate round or prep or anything like that, it feels like we are closer than we’ve ever been before in terms of understanding each other.”
After graduating, Thomas will become a graduate teaching assistant for the Elliott School of Communication and be an assistant coach for the debate team next year. He plans to get a master’s degree in communication and eventually a doctorate and continue working with debate students.
“(I want to) just become a director of debate somewhere at a university and continue to provide what I was given … help students along their way to their goals as well,” he said.
On the other hand, Travis will be a graduate research assistant for the public administration department at WSU and pursue his master’s degree in public administration. He also plans to complete graduate school and get a job in Cedar County.
Thomas said having a built-in partner since childhood has motivated them both — in and out of debate.
“We’ve been competitive since we were like 2 years old, and so having somebody or having that sort of innate competition driven into you with somebody in your life really makes you want to work harder.”
