THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN

Moody College of Communication
Department of Communication Studies, Forensics Programs
2504A Whitis Ave A1105 l Austin, Texas  78712-0115

The University of Texas speech & debate programs invite you and your students to attend the 24th Annual Longhorn Classic Tournament to be held on the campus of the University of Texas at Austin on December 3-5, 2021. The Longhorn Classic is returning to an in-person tournament format.

In keeping with our commitment to a well-rounded forensics education, we will offer students the opportunity to compete in a variety of events, including both Championship and Novice Cross-Examination Debate, Championship Lincoln-Douglas Debate, Championship Public Forum Debate, Championship World Schools Debate, multiple Speech categories, as well as the Longhorn Student Congress and NCFL style Oral Interpretation. The Longhorn Classic is a TOC qualifier in Extemporaneous Speaking, a qualifier for the IE TOC in all relevant categories, as well as a Kentucky TOC qualifier in all relevant debate and individual event categories.

This year the LHC will utilize a hybrid online option in the debate events. Hybrid online registration is restricted to programs that supported the LHC in recent seasons but are unable to attend the tournament because of COVID-19 travel restrictions. The "In Person" and "Hybrid Online" pools will be merged in the week prior to the start of the tournament. The purpose of the waitlist is to ensure that we have sufficient rooms to allow this option.

Additional information regarding COVID-19 and the hybrid online participation will be forthcoming.

There will be six preliminary rounds in CCX, CLD and CPF, and five in CWS and NCX. The schedule will closely resemble the 2019 LHC Schedule. Individual events will feature three flighted patterns each with two preliminary rounds, followed by quarter-finals (top 24-32 students advancing depending on rank cutoffs, maximum of 50% in events under 48), semi-finals and finals. Due to logistical constraints and the massive size of the Longhorn Classic, we can not allow cross-over between individual events and the various debate categories (including Congressional Debate).

CCX (In Person) - 85 starting cap - 3 entries/school

CCX (Hybrid Online) - 15 starting cap - 2 entries/school - all entries are automatically waitlisted

CPF - 90 starting cap - 5 entries/school

CPF (Hybrid Online) - 15 starting cap - 2 entries/school - all entries are automatically waitlisted

CLD - 130 starting cap - 6 entries/school

CLD (Hybrid Online) - 15 starting cap - 2 entries/school - all entries are automatically waitlisted

CWS - 20 starting cap - 3 entries/school

CWS (Hybrid Online) - 10 starting cap - 2 entries/school - all entries are automatically waitlisted

Novice CX - 25 starting cap - 2 entries/school

Congress - 102 starting cap - 6 entries/school

IE - 102 starting cap - 6 entries per event per school 

IE Contestants may enter two events from each pattern.

Pattern A: Dramatic Interp, Foreign Extemp, Informative Speaking

Pattern B: Humorous Interp, Oral Interp (Prose/Poetry), US Extemp

Pattern C: Duo Interpretation, Program Oral Interpretation, Original Oratory

Only school sponsors/student chaperones should register. The tournament does not accept independent entries.

The Longhorn Classic is a National Association of Secondary School Principals approved event.

We look forward to hosting from Austin once again for one of the largest and most competitive tournaments in the country.

Sincerely,