Another sizeable field from the state of Texas, coupled with a few out of state extempers, was drawn to the silver anniversary of the University of Texas at Austin’s Longhorn Classic, which took place from December 6-8 in Austin, Texas. The tournament allowed extempers to double in each category and this year’s tournament was dominated entirely by Texans as no out of state competitor reached a final or semi-final round.

International Extemp was won by an extemper from Plano West Senior High School for the third consecutive year as Abraham Zhang earned a two rank victory over Pranav Gorty of Plano East Senior High School (TX). Arya Gurumukhi of Plano East took third, finishing four ranks behind Zhang and two behind Gorty. Zhang’s victory was powered by earning two of the three available first place ranks in the final round.

The only nationally ranked competitor that made the International Extemp final was #6 Rowan Seipp of A&M Consolidated High School (TX), who was coming off a Glenbrooks second place finish last month. Seipp took sixth place.

Seipp did better in United States Extemp, notching a second place finish by a mere rank behind #3 Robert Zhang of Elkins High School (TX), who will regain the National Points Race lead after relinquishing it at the Glenbrooks. Zhang earned his third National Points Race victory of the season in final round three appearances in a split final round where winning required a seven rank composite score. Seipp’s title hopes were dashed by a fifth place rank from one of the three final round judges but he was the highest placing extemper across both categories at this year’s tournament.

#17 Lindsey Zhao of Plano Senior High School (TX) took fourth place in U.S. Extemp, placing one rank behind Ishika Kothari of Plano East. In an illustration of how close the final round of U.S. Extemp was, there was only a one rank difference in each placing from Zhang to fifth place finisher Pranav Kothur of Tompkins High School (TX).

Other notable finishers at the Longhorn included #12 Alexandre Morel of Plano West, who was a quarter-finalist in International Extemp, and #21 Joy Hu of the Harker School (CA) and #21 Eric Qian of Plano West, who were a quarter-finalists in United States Extemp.

The Longhorn Classic was a third tier tournament so all extempers who reached elimination rounds will earn points. To avoid double counting, an extemper’s highest finish will be credited to the National Points Race. So, for example, Seipp’s runner-up finish will be logged for 85 points but not his sixth place finish in United States Extemp for 33 points. Abraham Zhang and Robert Zhang will receive 100 points for their wins.

Here are the results of the 2024 University of Texas at Austin Longhorn Classic (Click here for tab sheet):

International Extemp

Champion: Abraham Zhang (Plano West Senior High School, Texas)
2nd: Pranav Gorty (Plano East Senior High School, Texas)
3rd: Arya Gurumukhi (Plano East Senior High School, Texas)
4th: Kaitlyn Fan (Plano West Senior High School, Texas)
5th: Anushka Gupta (Westwood High School, Texas)
6th: Rowan Seipp (A&M Consolidated High School, Texas)

Semi-Finalists

*Charlie Hui (Westwood High School, Texas)
*Ishika Kothari (Plano East Senior High School, Texas)
*Samuel Kuykendall (San Angelo Central High School, Texas)
*Arna Reddy (Elkins High School, Texas)
*Roshan Shivnani (Plano West Senior High School, Texas)
*Robert Zhang (Elkins High School, Texas)

Quarter-Finalists

*Rehan Buvvaji (Plano West Senior High School, Texas)
*Evelyn Ding (Plano West Senior High School, Texas)
*Anshul Khandekar (Plano West Senior High School, Texas)
*Noah Kim (A&M Consolidated High School, Texas)
*Alexandre Morel (Plano West Senior High School, Texas)
*Lillian Nabors (Melissa High School, Texas)
*Alex Ngu (Plano East Senior High School, Texas)
*Hunter Payne (Cypress Ranch High School, Texas)
*Vince Pham (Westwood High School, Texas)
*Arjun Rajagopal (Plano East Senior High School, Texas)
*Eric Qian (Plano West Senior High School, Texas)
*Lindsey Zhao (Plano West Senior High School, Texas)

United States Extemp

Champion: Robert Zhang (Elkins High School, Texas)
2nd: Rowan Seipp (A&M Consolidated High School, Texas)
3rd: Ishika Kothari (Plano East Senior High School, Texas)
4th: Lindsey Zhao (Plano Senior High School, Texas)
5th: Pranav Kothur (Tompkins High School, Texas)
6th: Samuel Kuykendall (San Angelo Central High School, Texas)

Semi-Finalists

*Pranav Gorty (Plano East Senior High School, Texas)
*Charlie Hui (Westwood High School, Texas)
*Tahseen Islam (Tompkins High School, Texas)
*Jackson Juel (Jack C. Hays High School, Texas)
*Muhammad Meetheen (Plano East Senior High School, Texas)
*Vince Pham (Westwood High School, Texas)

Quarter-Finalists

*Arkana Anwar (Memorial Senior High School, Texas)
*Rehan Buvvaji (Plano West Senior High School, Texas)
*Evelyn Ding (Plano West Senior High School, Texas)
*Angelo Ferris (Plano East Senior High School, Texas)
*Robert Fields (The Harker School, California)
*Anushka Gupta (Westwood High School, Texas)
*Arya Gurumukhi (Plano East Senior High School, Texas)
*Joy Hu (The Harker School, California)
*Carter Lange (Boerne-Samuel V. Champion High School, Texas)
*Blake McFalls (Trinity Preparatory School, Florida)
*Toby Nguyen (Westmoore High School, Oklahoma)
*Arjun Rajagopal (Plano East Senior High School, Texas)
*Akash Vukoti (San Angelo Central High School, Texas)
*Anushka Yadav (McNeil High School, Texas)

Extemp Central thanks University of Texas at Austin for putting the results of the tournament online.