The Speech and Debate Society at the U of A made a big showing at their first tournamnet of the 2025-2026 season. Members Emma Powell, Austin Keefe, Dylan Hall, Ryan Seiter, Matthew Cook, Percy Blaich, Will Crews, Josh Tompkins, Colten Nichols, Sophie Barrentine and Luke Thurmon traveled to Baytown, Texas, over the weekened and competed at the Mendoza Debates at Lee College.  

The team of Hall and Seiter finished as quarterfinalists in the Team IPDA division of competition. The team of Keefe and Powell came out the champions of the Team IPDA division, notably with Powell being a novice competitor debating against varsity and professional competitors. 

Blaich won the first place speaking award for the novice division, and Blaich and Tompkins finished as octofinalists in the novice division.  Crews finished as a semifinalist in the same division. 

Seiter and Nichols finished as octofinalists in the junior varsity division. 

Keefe won the first place speaking award for the varsity division; Keefe and Hall finished as quarterfinalists in the varsity division. 

Their next tournament will occur in the second weekend of October at the Mississippi State University Starkvegas Tournament in Starkville, Mississippi. Anyone who is interested in joining the team should contact either president Austin Keefe (akeefe@uark.edu) or coach Hannah Morris (hannahm@uark.edu).