Debate team captures sweepstakes at state championship

Posted by Jayme Blaschke
University News Service
November 3, 2008

The LBJ Debate Society and the Elton Abernathy Forensics Society at Texas State University-San Marcos beat out 20 other colleges and universities to win the Sweepstakes Award at the Texas Intercollegiate Forensics Association Fall Championships hosted by Tyler Junior College, Oct. 31-Nov. 2.  

The team placed first in debate sweepstakes with host Tyler Junior College placing second and West Texas A&M placing third. The Bobcats were second in individual events sweepstakes with the University of Texas Austin finishing first and North Harris in third.

The Bobcats earned 28 awards at the event, with 17 students representing Texas State at the tournament. Individual standout performances included Laura Driver, a sophomore environmental studies major from Portland, winning the top debate speaker award, and Russell Long, a junior history major from Round Rock placing third out of the 50-student field. Driver and Long were also the top-seeded debate team in the tournament. Jonathan Stansbury, a pre-communication studies junior from Pasadena, and Ryan Reyes, a communication studies senior from Austin, placed third and fourth in the overall individual event speaker competition. Ojiyoma Pinnock, a sophomore pre-theatre major from San Antonio, placed first in poetry interpretation and first in program oral interpretation. Sara Ruffin, a sophomore English major, placed first in novice poetry Interpretation.