College of Education and Behavioral Sciences News

WKU Forensics Team tops in debate at 'Gorlok Gala'

WKU Forensics
Monday, January 27th, 2020

Debaters from WKU’s Forensics Team traveled to Saint Louis, Missouri, to compete at the Webster University “Gorlok Gala” the weekend of Jan 24-26.

WKU’s team of eight captured the top three ranks in Lincoln-Douglas, with sophomore Madelynn Einhorn declared the champion. WKU competed against 38 other teams at what is regarded as the largest and most competitive Lincoln-Douglas debate tournament in the nation, and a reasonable predictor of results at the national tournament in April. The last time WKU closed out the final round of debate at this tournament was 2017; the same year that WKU also closed out the final round at the NFA National Tournament.

Next weekend the team will travel to Champaign-Urbana, Illinois, to compete at the “Illini Stars” speech tournament.

Results from the Webster University “Gorlok Gala” are as follows:

Madelynn Einhorn, a sophomore from Oakwood, Ohio, tournament co-champion in Lincoln-Douglas debate and 10^th debate speaker.
Anthony Survance, a senior from Louisville, tournament co-champion in Lincoln-Douglas debate and second debate speaker.
Alex Rivera, a senior from Newton, Kansas, tournament co-champion in Lincoln-Douglas debate, fifth debate speaker and semifinalist in impromptu speaking.
Symone Whalin, a junior from Sonora, tournament champion in impromptu speaking.
Isaac Keller, a junior from Kansas City, Missouri, top debate speaker and quarterfinalist in Lincoln-Douglas debate.
Ben Hanson, a sophomore from Louisville, semifinalist in impromptu speaking and octofinalist in Lincoln-Douglas debate.
Tess Welch, a sophomore from Houston, Texas, seventh debate speaker and octofinalist in Lincoln-Douglas debate.