Speech and Debate Earns Top Accolades

The Speech and Debate Society at the University of Arkansas,sponsored by the Diane Blair Center for Southern Politics and Society and housed in the History Department, competed virtually this past weekend at the Southern Forensics Championship Tournament.

This tournament stands as the state championship for Arkansas, Louisiana, and Mississippi. While this event typically occurs in-person, and was set to be hosted by Arkansas State University in Jonesboro, due to the winter storm that came through, the SFC board was forced to move the event online.  

Even with the last-minute pivot, the Speech and Debate Society went on to win a whopping 58 awards, breaking their past record from the same event in 2025. 

Remi La Blue (Freshman, Fulbright):
6th place Program of Oral Interpretation
Top Arkansas POI

Colten Nichols (Senior, Bumpers and Fulbright):
3rd Place Duo (Ella Grannon)
Top Arkansas Duo
Top Arkansas Editorial impromptu
4th Place Editorial Impromptu
Top Arkansas Informative
2nd place informative
Top Arkansas Radio Broadcasting
4th place Radio Broadcasting
Quadrathon 5th place
Top Arkansas Quadrathon
Top Arkansas Comprehensive

Ella Grannon (Sophomore, Fulbright):
Top novice editorial impromptu
Top Arkansas impromptu
3rd Place Duo (Colten Nichols)
Top Arkansas Duo

Riley Lowe (Freshman, Fulbright):
4th Place Duo (Percy Blaich)
5th Place Poetry/p>

Percy Blaich (Sophomore, Fulbright):
4th Place Duo (Riley Lowe)

Lydia Lim (Junior, Walton and Fulbright):
Top Arkansas Extemporaneous Speaking

Presley Jones (Sophomore, Fulbright):
4th place Communication Analysis
Top Arkansas Communication Analysis
3rd place Persuasive
Top Arkansas Persuasive
Top novice persuasive

Dylan Hall (Junior, Fulbright):
5th place TIPDA speaker
Top Arkansas TIPDA speaker
Top Arkansas TIPDA debaters (Izzy Swafford)
1st place TIPDA (Izzy Swafford)
4th place varsity speaker

Aubree Watkins (Junior, Fulbright):
TIPDA Quarterfinalists (Will Crews)
Octofinalist varsity

Matthew Cook (Junior, Engineering):
Top Arkansas  pro debater
Top Arkansas pro speaker

Emma Powell (Sophomore, Fulbright):
Top Arkansas novice speaker
2nd Place novice speaker
Top Arkansas novice debater
Quarterfinalist Novice

Austin Keefe (Senior, Fulbright):
Top Arkansas varsity speaker
First place varsity speaker
Top Arkansas varsity debater
Semifinalist varsity

Hayden Mittlestat (Freshman, Fulbright):
Top Arkansas JV speaker
Fourth place JV speaker
Octofinalist JV
Top Arkansas JV debater

Jace Godfrey (Sophomore, Fulbright):
Double-Octofinalist Novice

Luke Paulus (Sophomore, Fulbright):
Octofinalist JV

Izzy Swafford (Sophomore, Fulbright):
Octofinalist varsity
TIPDA Champion (Dylan Hall)
Top Arkansas TIPDA Debaters (Dylan Hall)

Team-Wide
3rd place IEs
Arkansas champion IEs
2nd place debate
Arkansas champion debate
Overall 2nd place

The team's next tournament will occur virtually this weekend as they compete at Union University's Bulldog Bowl.  After, the team will head south to the Mardi Gras Classic, hosted by Louisiana State University and McNeese State University. 

This tournament would not have been possible without the Diane Blair Center for 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 U of A across the American South and beyond.

The team would also like to extend its thanks to its departmental home in History. 

If you are interested in joining the Speech and Debate Society, please email coach Hannah Morris (hannahm@uark.edu) or president Austin Keefe (akeefe@uark.edu).