College of Education and Behavioral Sciences News

WKU Forensics Team wins first-ever NFA L-D Debate Grand Prix

WKU Forensics
Monday, April 1st, 2019

Alex Rivera led the WKU Forensics Team to win the first NFA Lincoln-Douglas Debate Grand Prix team sweepstakes in Springfield, Missouri.

Hosted during the March 29-April 1 weekend by Missouri State University, the tournament is designed to act as a capstone to the most challenging and rigorous competition of the season. The tournament featured double-elimination out-rounds. After 13 rounds Rivera was crowned the champion. Seven of WKU’s eight debaters advanced to elimination rounds, and six won debate speaker awards.

Lincoln-Douglas debate is a one-on-one policy style of debate which is sponsored by the National Forensic Association, thus the name NFA L-D.

Other competing schools included Pennsylvania State University, John Carroll University and Missouri State University. The WKU team will face them again April 17-23 at the National Forensic Association national tournament.

This weekend the team will travel to the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa to compete at the American Forensic Association National Individual Events Tournament.

Results from the First Annual NFA Lincoln-Douglas Debate Grand Prix are as follows:

Alex Rivera, a junior from Newton, Kansas, champion in Lincoln-Douglas debate and second debate speaker.
Madelynn Einhorn, a freshman from Oakwood, Ohio, top debate speaker and eighth in Lincoln-Douglas debate.
Tess Welch, a freshman from Houston, Texas, third in Lincoln-Douglas debate and fifth debate speaker.
Anthony Survance, a junior from Louisville, third debate speaker.
Brian Anderson, a senior from Hodgenville, sixth in Lincoln-Douglas debate and eighth debate speaker.
Isaac Keller, a sophomore from Kansas City, Missouri, ninth in Lincoln-Douglas debate.
Kelly Stone, a senior from Louisburg, Kansas, 10^th debate speaker and 12^th in Lincoln-Douglas debate.
Ben Hanson, a freshman from Louisville, 14^th in Lincoln-Douglas debate.