By Faith Jessie.

Debate teams from all over the nation came out to Binghamton University on Saturday to compete in the Cross-Examination Debate Association (CEDA) Nationals.


College students from California, Oklahoma, Texas, Florida, and many other places tested their debate skills in a series of rounds focused on topics surrounding US military presence around the world.


This is the first time in five years that Binghamton University was selected to host the national competition.


The CEDA president says many of the competitors are hand selected.


"Some of these students debated in high school and were recruited, like recruiting an athlete, but a lot of the students that are debating here are recruited by the college campuses that they go to ," said Michael Davis, Cross Examination Debate Association President.


The CEDA Nationals are one of two national debate competitions BU will hold. The top 78 debate teams in the nation will compete in the National Debate Tournament (NDT) on April 1-3 on the BU campus.


The debate rounds are open to the public free of charge.