The U of A Speech and Debate Team hosted the first annual "Fayetteville Fisticuffs" virtual debate tournament the weekend of March 4-6. The tournament boasted 23 teams from nine states and over 170 participants. 

The team's own Nastassja Campbell, senior communication major, competed in the professional division of the competition, typically occupied by coaches and competitors with bachelor's degrees and above. Campbell was a semifinalist in the competition and took home the first place speaker award in the professional division. 

The team will next travel to Abilene, Texas, for the International Public Debate Association's national tournament April 8-11. The team will compete against programs from across the country, the largest competition field they'll have experienced to date, with numbers increasing daily. 

Feel free to wish them luck in their final competition of the season by leaving a comment on one of their posts on Instagram, @uarkforensics.