Two McKendree University Debate Team members are ranked best in the nation.

Juniors Jeff Jones, 23, of Belleville, and Ian Reynolds, 19, of Fairview Heights, have won five consecutive tournaments and are currently ranked as the No. 1 two-person team by the National Parliamentary Tournament of Excellence.

The placement is based on scores in debate tournaments.

The standing has propelled the 22-member debate team to its best start ever. They took home 33 individual and four team awards at the University of Central Missouri tournament earlier this month.

The team debates in both parliamentary and Lincoln-Douglas styles. Members are scored in how they present arguments.

"It has a lot of skills involved that can be really useful," Jones said. "I played hockey in high school, but there's not a lot of skills there that can be used anywhere else."

Both political science majors, Jones and Reynolds became interested in debate in high school. (A teacher told Reynolds that he argued a lot; Jones was trying to fill out his class schedule.)

They said their individual skills complement each other.

"Ian is very good at the sort of more nuanced and detailed aspects of policy discussion and I think I have a better skill at a more broad, overarching sort of comparison," Jones said. "He's able to describe the small minute details that make up the differences, and I put them into context."

Being on the debate team also helps them develop research and public speaking skills that are useful in class.

"It helps me with things like writing papers and writing essays for tests," Reynolds said. "I'm used to having a limited amount of time and have to know a lot about the topic."

Weekly practice includes listening to a lecture on a specific subject such as economics, then a few rounds of practice with another team. Research is intense.

Jones said it allows them to travel and meet new people.

Reynolds said he plans to attend law school, and possibly run for public office. Jones is not sure where he'll head after graduating.

"I'd love to work on campaigns or as a consultant," he said. "In the shorter term, I'm sure I'll end up coaching debate and hopefully helping people in the way I've been helped."

Contact reporter Scott Cousins at 618-344-0264, ext. 113