The UCM Talking Mules Speech and Debate Team won first place in the Overall Sweepstakes Division at their season opener, the Bob R. Derryberry Memorial Tournament hosted by Southwest Baptist University in Bolivar, Missouri on Oct. 6 and 7. The tournament attracted top regional teams representing Texas, Iowa, Oklahoma, Kansas and Missouri, according to a news release by Jack Rogers.

“We are so excited our newcomers did so well,” said Nikki Freeman, assistant director of forensics. “We have been so lucky to pick up so many strong recruits from across the state and region.”

Individual and team successes include: third Overall Debate Sweepstakes; second Overall IndividualEvents Sweepstakes, Top Pi Kappa Delta School. In the debate divisions, newcomer Trenton Hawes advanced all the way to the semi-finals before dropping on a 2-1 decision.

Public Forum teams Gavin DePaul and Samantha DuVall and Tayia Gibson and Bobbi Gums were both next out. Lincoln Douglas entry Tyler Slinkard advanced to the semi-finals and dropped but his performance was good enough to be award sixth speaker. Trenton Hawes was fifth speaker in the Novice Division.

In individual events, freshman Jaggard Williams was named Top Novice in Dramatic Interp and Program Oral Interp and placed first in the Open Division in both events. Other individual successes included: Tyler Slinkard, first place in extemporaneous speaking, fourth place in communication analysis; Bobbi Gums, fourth place in extemp; Tayia Gibson, sixth place in extemp; Gavin DePaul, third place in extemp, third place in impromptu speaking, fourth place in program oral interp, and second place in the top overall competitor; Ally Latham, fourth place in prose, third place in dramatic interp; newcomer Tony Smith, top novice in impromptu speaking and fourth place in the open division of interp; Samantha Callaway, third place in persuasive speaking.

“Frankly, I wasn’t sure how the tournament would turn out,” Jack Rogers, director of forensics said. “We were busily writing debate cases and practicing up until the last minute on the way down in the vans. As always, our teams and students stepped up and did exceptionally well. This is the third year in a row that we have won our season opener.”