Rice debate team starts spring season with multiple wins

Rice’s debate team, the George R. Brown Forensics Society, started its spring season on a strong note by winning 27 awards at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City Jan. 18-19. The 12-member Rice team competed against 32 universities with 343 individual entries and 96 debate teams.

The event featured one debate tournament and two individual speaking events. Overall, Rice won nine separate debates and placed second for the weekend. Rice first-place winners included Hanszen College junior Jyra Bickham, who won in four individual categories; Brown College senior Kristian Edosomwan, who won in two individual categories; and Hanszen College junior Jacob Mansfield, who won in one individual category.

The team is coached by David Worth, director of forensics, and Shannon Labove, assistant director of forensics. The team will compete in six more events this season.