PRESS RELEASE
UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL ARKANSAS
COLLEGE OF FINE ARTS AND COMMUNICATION
Contact: Christina Madsen, (501) 852-2659; christinam@uca.edu
Anthony L. McMullen, (501) 852-0695; AMcmullen@uca.edu
STATE CHAMPION UCA DEBATE TEAM TO HOST TOURNAMENT MARCH 13-15
By Samantha Hudon and Carley Conrad
College of Fine Art and Communication Media Office
CONWAY — The University of Central Arkansas Debate and Forensics team, recently named the overall Arkansas State Champion at the Southern Forensics Championship, will host a collegiate debate tournament March 13-15.
The tournament, free and open to the public, is scheduled for the College of Business building on UCA’s campus. The championship round will take place Saturday, March 14 at 7:30 in the evening.
In addition to being the annual invitational tournament, the tournament will also serve as the National Championship for Team IPDA debate. The overall National Championship will be held in Boise, Idaho. Team IPDA is mostly regional, so it was decided to have that portion of the National Championship separate.
“I am expecting debaters from all across the region to join us on that date” said Anthony McMullen, UCA coach.
At the Southern Forensics Championship at John Brown University, UCA won the state championship in individual events and took second in overall team sweepstakes and won the Arkansas state championship. McMullen was named the Mary G. “Jorji” Jarzabek Coach of the Year, his second such honor since 2012.
UCA individual awards included:
• Extemporaneous Speaking: Leia Smith (fifth overall, Arkansas champion);
• Duo Interpretation: Braxton Johnson and Brynn Woods (third, Arkansas champion);
• Prose Interpretation: Braxton Johnson (second, Arkansas champion);
• Poetry Interpretation: Braxton Johnson (third, Arkansas champion);
• Informative Speaking: Leia Smith (fifth, Arkansas champion);
• After-Dinner Speaking: Sara Sharos (Arkansas champion);
• Dramatic Interpretation: Leia Smith (Arkansas champion);
Quadrathon: Braxton Johnson (fourth);
IPDA Debate
• Mark Matlock: Novice Octafinalist;
• Leia Smith: Novice Octafinalist and fourth-place speaker;
• Brady Shiers: Novice Tournament runner-up;
• Braxton Johnson: Varsity Octafinalist;
• Brynn Woods: Varsity quarterfinalist;
• Rickie Mangrum: Professional semifinalist;
• Mark Matlock & Joseph Barnello: Team IPDA semifinalists
Participating were alumni Stephanie Gray and Rickie Mangrum; senior Sara Sharos; juniors Danielle Casey and Brady Shiers; sophomores Braxton Johnson and Bradley Allgood and freshmen Brynn Woods, Michael Ingram, Leia Smith, Joseph Barnello and Mark Matlock.
For more information, contact McMullen at (501) 852-0695 or AMcmullen@uca.edu.
The UCA College of Fine Arts and Communication includes the Departments of Art, Communication, Mass Communication and Theatre, Music and Writing. The college’s primary mission is the preparation of the next generation of artists, educators and communicators. For more information about CFAC, visit www.uca.edu/cfac or call (501) 450-3293.
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