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March 25, 2026

Media Advisory: U of A to host 2026 Regents' Cup competition

  • What: The 2026 Regents' Cup, a tri-university speech and debate competition presented by the Arizona Board of Regents.
  • When: Saturday, March 28, 7:45 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.
  • Where: McClelland Hall, 1130 E. Helen St., Tucson, Arizona, 85721
  • RSVP: To RSVP, please email lburtchbuus@arizona.edu and sofiasanchez@arizona.edu

TUCSON, Ariz — The University of Arizona will host the seventh-annual Regents' Cup competition on Saturday, March 28. The speech and debate contest encourages civil and respectful discourse among students from Arizona's three state universities, who compete in both storytelling and Oxford-style debates to win scholarships.

The competition rotates every year between the U of A, Northern Arizona University and Arizona State University. The Wildcats won last year's contest, held on NAU's campus in Flagstaff, and previously won in 2022 and 2023.

This year's Regents' Cup will take place at the Eller College of Management. This year's theme, "Liberty and Responsibility," challenges participants to explore how constitutional freedoms and shared responsibility shape the trajectory of democracy.

The Arizona Board of Regents oversees the competition and awards one-time scholarships to the top three winners in each category: $15,000 for first-place, $12,000 for second and $5,000 for third. All other competitors receive a $500 one-time scholarship, along with internship or course credit for their work.

Scoring and moderating the sessions will be a panel of esteemed judges who will ensure the competition is fair, impartial and engaging experience that upholds the values of freedom of speech, diversity of thought and open dialogue. Regents' Cup judges include members of the business community, local and national policymakers, academics, elected and appointed officials, and media professionals.

More than 40 students from the three universities will compete this year, including 13 from the U of A, whose majors range from medicine and public health to environmental science and business management.

The U of A team is led by storytelling coach Diana Leonard, director of public speaking and senior lecturer in the Department of Communication, and debate coach Ted McLoof, director of the UA Discourse Series and a principal lecturer in the Department of English.

Provost Patricia Prelock will speak at the 7:45 a.m. kickoff event and at the evening awards reception.

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Media contact:
Logan Burtch-Buus
University Communications
520-621-1357
lburtchbuus@arizona.edu

Established in 1885, the University of Arizona is the state's flagship, land-grant institution. The U of A ranks among America's top institutions, focusing on student access and success while driving a $1 billion research enterprise and engaging communities throughout the state, nation and world. As a leading Research 1 institution and member of the Association of American Universities, the U of A advances the frontiers of interdisciplinary scholarship and entrepreneurial partnerships. With two accredited medical schools, designation as a Hispanic-Serving Institution by the U.S. Department of Education, recognition as a premier university for service members, distinguished programs in management information systems, planetary sciences, dance, photography, and public and applied humanities, the U of A offers the world to its students while uplifting Arizona.