Debate teams converge for tournament at UCO

BY SARAH HILL Comments 0
Published: November 5, 2009

EDMOND — University of Central Oklahoma is hosting more than 80 teams representing 19 universities at the Joe C. Jackson Invitational Debate Tournament.

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Debate tournament

Teams participating in the tournament include University of Oklahoma, Kansas State University, Baylor University, University of Texas and Southern Methodist University.

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For more information, call Eric Marlow at 974-5564 or e-mail emarlow@uco.edu.

The event is one of the longest-running debate tournaments in the Midwest, and is named after the late debate coach Joe C. Jackson, who coached national champion debaters at both the high school and college levels.

"Jackson was the primary instrument in creating the core foundation for the debate program at Central,” said Eric Marlow, Broncho debate coach.

Jackson spent 28 years with UCO, serving as professor of history and geography, chief academic officer and vice president for Academic Affairs.

Debates will be in both the school’s Liberal Arts and Business buildings from 4 to 8:30 p.m. Friday, 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday and 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday.

Broncho Debate Team member Christopher Spurlock is the nation’s second-ranked speaker. He earned the ranking during the 2009 National Debate Tournament for receiving the second most individual speaking points out of more than 370 debaters.

Sarah Hill is a University Relations staff writer for the University of Central Oklahoma