Durant, OK— The Southeastern Speech and Debate Association earned third place in Overall Sweepstakes at Texas Christian University’s Cowtown Classic Swing Speech and Debate Tournament in Fort Worth, Texas.

The forensics tournament featured varsity National Parliamentary Debate, International Public Debate Association and all 11 American Forensics Association National Individual Events.

Charles Jackson, junior communication and theatre double major; Connor Judd, freshman business and communication double major; and Jacob Morrison, freshman political science major debated and competed in individual speaking events versus competitors from 12 different colleges and universities including Texas Christian University, Texas State University, West Texas A&M University, Ranger College, the University of Minnesota, Oklahoma City University, Tulsa Community College and the University of Oklahoma.

Connor Judd and Jacob Morrison, both from Durant, OK reached the quarterfinals in the Parliamentary Debate competition. The team of Judd and Morrison amassed a four and one record through the preliminary rounds earning them a seed in the quarterfinals. Eventually, however, the duo would lose in a split decision to the eventual tournament champions from Texas Christian University. Both Judd and Morrison would receive individual top speaker awards. Morrison ranked fourth and Judd would bring home the top speaker award. To date the team of Judd and Morrison are a combined 20 and three in novice and varsity Parli competition rounds.

Judd also competed in Dramatic Interpretation and earned a fifth place finish. Morrison competed in both extemporaneous speaking and impromptu speaking and earned a respectable fourth place finish in extemporaneous speaking. Morrison’s fourth place finish qualifies him in the event in both the American Forensics Association National Individual Events Tournament that will be held March 31 through April 3, at Bradley University in Peoria, Ill and the National Forensics Association National Championship Tournament that will be held April 15 through 17, at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire in Eau Claire, WI.

Jackson, Fort Worth, TX, reached the finals in the AFA-IE of Prose and Program Oral Interpretation (POI). Jackson would bring home two second place trophies in Prose and POI. With these results, Jackson has qualified for both the AFA-NIET and the NFA-NCT.

SSDA’s next forensics tournament will be the Sweetheart Swing at the University of Oklahoma in Norman, OK, February 10-12, 2017.

To learn more about Southeastern’s intercollegiate forensics program and SSDA’s tournament schedule visit the Department of Art, Communication and Theatre website at http://homepages.se.edu/comm or contact Speech and Debate Advisor Dr. Randy Clark at ext. 2556.