Simpson College Speech and Debate found success again in Public Forum Debate this past weekend, bringing home the championship.

The students who competed last week are Jacy Gomez, Tegan Jarchow, Emma Kain, Jacob McLain, Tyler Millard, Kiley Murray, Paul Safford, Ethan Fredrick and Michelle Beving.

Held at Marshall University in Huntington, W. Va., Simpson College competed against larger universities such as Illinois State University, Muskingham University and Ohio University. Simpson College’s team had to win 14 of the 16 preliminary debate rounds in order to win the championship in public forum debate.

The Debate Team finished second in overall sweepstakes, putting them at the top in the Large School Division. The team also brought home five speaker awards. Fredrick won top speaker, McLain won second speaker and both Gomez and Kain received third speaker awards. Murray won the sixth speaker award.

In combined team points in debate and speech, Simpson ranked fourth. 

The Speech and Debate team also made history by capturing a sweepstakes award for their excellence in speech categories. Fredrick and Millard finished second place in Duo Improv. Fredrick also placed fourth and Murray placed sixth in Novice Impromptu.

Both Kain and Fredrick also received Pi Kappa Delta Awards of Excellence.

The team leaves Oct. 31 for the Marietta College O’ Donnell Debate Tournament.