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Debate Team hosts 29th Annual Red River Swing tournament

The National Champion LSUS Debate Team hosted the 29th Annual Red River Swing open tournament in mid-November.

There were 32 schools – accounting for 70 International Public Debate Association (IPDA) teams and 40 Parliamentary teams – including: Morehouse College (Ga.), Southwest Baptist University (Mo.), LSU A&M and the universities of Alabama, Florida, Mississippi, Oklahoma and Texas.

Many of the students also enter individual events in public speaking and dramatic interpretation in separate competitions throughout the tournament. In all, LSUS hosted 380 students and coaches for the tournament.
The largest regional tournament of the year – and has been the past four years – the Swing (so named because it includes both IPDA and Parliamentary events) had six debate rounds with eliminations and eight individual events rounds with semi-finals and finals. In total there were 6 debate rounds with elimination rounds and 8 individual events rounds with semifinal and final rounds.

Southwest Baptist University, with team members entered in both competitions, won the overall points sweepstakes. The top school in debate was Stephen F. Austin State University, with members also garnering points in both Parliamentary and Public debate. Morehouse College had the top competitors in Prose Interpretation and Dramatic Duo competition, and University of Alabama students took the most first place awards for individual events such as Poetry and Dramatic Interpretation as well as public speaking events such as Impromptu Speaking and Communication Analysis.

The LSUS team had an impressive showing, with members competing, hosting and administering all at the same time. Debate team captain A.J. Edwards took first place in IPDA’s top division, and four more of the seven LSUS competitors “breaking” into elimination rounds. Ebony Holliday, team co-captain, Kevin Gaspard and Alan Trichell broke, and newcomer Sammie Bell made it to semifinals in the Novice division.