University of Florida hosts national speech and debate tournament

March 29, 2006

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — More than 1,000 of America’s premier speakers from the collegiate level will showcase their talents April 1-3 when the University of Florida Speech and Debate Team hosts the American Forensics Association’s 29th annual National Individual Events Tournament at the Reitz Student Union.

Speakers from more than 100 colleges and universities around the nation will compete as individuals and teams for the AFA National Championship in 11 events from three categories featuring public address and dramatic performance skills.

This is the university’s second opportunity to host this national tournament; UF last hosted it in 1996.

Kellie Roberts, director of forensics at UF, said she expects one of the most competitive national tournaments in years.

“The people who are coming are the cream of the crop,” Roberts said. “Many of these students have already won major awards, so it should be very exciting to watch them square off against each other.”

Preliminary rounds for all 11 events will take place over the first two days of the tournament, followed by a banquet the evening of April 2 when semifinalists will be announced. The national championship will be decided in each of the remaining events April 3.

Roberts said the tournament is free and open to the public and is sure to be fun for anyone to watch.

“The people who compete in college forensics go on to do amazing things,” she said. “These are the leaders of tomorrow, so there’s a lot of talent and entertainment value found in these events.”

For more information about the tournament, contact Roberts at (352) 392-5421. Details of the tournament can be found at http://www.cwoc.ufl.edu/debate/afaniet/.