Members of the Speech and Debate Society at the University of Arkansas competed at Mississippi State University's "StarkVegas Debate Invitational" on Oct. 10-12 and came away big winners, no luck needed. Members Austin Keefe, Colten Nichols, Dylan Hall, Ella Grannon, Izzy Swafford, Jace Godfrey, Jonas Lansford, Josh Tompkins, Luke Thurmon, Matthew Cook, Percy Blaich and Will Crews earned a total of 18 awards, including 3rd place Team IPDA Sweepstakes, 3rd place Overall Sweepstakes, and the tournament's "Legendary Silver Cowbell of Victory," given to the team with the highest win percentage of the weekend. The Speech and Debate Society won the top honor with 7% separating them from their closest competition.

In the Team IPDA division, Nichols and Swafford finished as quarterfinalists.

In the novice division, all five competitors broke to their next levels of competition, with Godfrey and Crews finishing as an octofinalist, and Crews the 4th place speaker. Lansford finished as a semifinalist, and Tompkins and Blaich finished as the tournament's co-champions, closing out the division. Tompkins also was awarded 5th place speaker in the event.

In the junior varsity division, Nichols finished as a quarterfinalist and the division's 3rd place speaker.  Swafford maintained an undefeated record in preliminary competition and finished as a semifinalist.  

In the varsity division, Hall finished as a quarterfinalist, and Keefe finished as a semifinalist as well as the 1st place speaker (his second time earning this honor this season). He earned his own cowbell for the award.

The team would like to thank its sponsor, the Diane D. Blair Center of Southern Politics and Society. This team, and its sponsor, strives to support students and build partnerships across campus with all individuals interested in competing, as well as teach students how to produce quality research through their participation in the program. Through the team's travels, it makes every effort to positively represent the University of Arkansas across the American South and beyond.

If you are interested in becoming a member of the team, please reach out to coach Hannah Morris (hannahm@uark.edu) or president Austin Keefe (akeefe@uark.edu).