WKU News

Members of the WKU Forensics Team include (back row, from left) Miles Morton, Antonina Clementi, Andre Swai, Imamulhaq Brula; (front row, from left) Tanya Prabhakar, Madelynn Einhorn, Tess Welch, Avery Lenihan. 

The WKU Forensics Team won the 2022 Kentucky Forensics Association State Tournament hosted virtually by Western Kentucky University February 12-13.

Senior Tess Welch was recognized with the Harlan Hamm award, given to students for their leadership and excellence both in competition and in their academic endeavors and community service. This honor is bestowed on only four students in the state each season.

In the 13 speech categories, WKU students captured all 13 state titles. Freshman Dakota Perry was recognized as the tournament’s top competitor in speech for his success across four different events.

WKU also competed in International Public Debate (IPDA). Six WKU students won speaker awards in debate, including junior Madelynn Einhorn who was named the top speaker in IPDA Debate.

In recognition of these collective efforts, WKU topped the Large School Sweepstakes category in Individual Events and Debate and ultimately was crowned the Kentucky Forensics Association Grand Champion for the 30th consecutive year.

WKU Director of Forensics Ganer Newman was proud of the team’s results. “Our students and coaches worked hard all season long preparing events, developing messages, and improving their argumentation skills. It is great to see their efforts payoff with another KFA State title.”

Despite the state championship, the season is far from over. “Our team members will use the momentum from this win to continue our preparations for the national season,” Newman said.

The WKU Forensics Team will attend at least two national competitions and they will be hosted in different modalities, virtually and in person. “With last year’s sweep of nationals in a virtual modality, we proved we have what it takes to be the best at both and we are very focused on achieving that distinction in 2022,” he said.

The team also competed in the Spring District VI qualifying tournament. The team will compete next at the 6th Online Asynchronous Tournament Series.

Results from the Kentucky Forensics Association State Tournament are as follows:

Debate

• IPDA Speaker Awards: Madelynn Einhorn of Oakwood, Ohio, Top Speaker; Miles Morton of Sherman Oaks, California, 3rd; Andre Swai of Springfield, Missouri, 4th; Tanya Prabhakar of Danville, California, 6th; Antonina Clementi of Lafayette, Louisiana, 6th; Hannah Jones of Bowling Green, Kentucky, 9th.
• IPDA: Tess Welch of Houston, Texas, Co-State Champion; Madelynn Einhorn, Co-State Champion; Tanya Prabhakar, Co-State Champion; Hannah Jones, Co-State Champion; Miles Morton, Top 8; Andre Swai, Top 8; Antonina Clementi, Top 8.

Speech

• After Dinner Speaking: Dakota Perry of Morehead, Kentucky, State Champion; Danielle Williams of Goodlettsville, Tennessee, 2nd; Joey Eberle of Maple Grove, Minnesota, 3rd; Tess Welch, 4th.
• Communication Analysis: Jonah Johnson of Burnsville, Minnesota, State Champion; Collin Tuerk of Morehead, Kentucky, 2nd; Christian Butterfield of Bowling Green, Kentucky, 3rd.
• Dramatic Interpretation: Caitlyn Woitena of Houston, Texas, State Champion; Collin Tuerk, 2nd; Reggie Jefferson, Houston, Texas, 3rd; Shainna Ralston of Eldorado, Illinois, 5th.
• Duo Interpretation: Paige Allbright of Youngsville, Louisiana, and Caitlyn Woitena, State Champion.
• Editorial Impromptu: Miles Morton, State Champion; Christian Butterfield, 2nd.
• Extemporaneous Speaking: Miles Morton, State Champion; Antonina Clementi, 2nd; Joey Eberle, 4th; Tani Washington of Henrico, Virginia, 5th.
• Impromptu Speaking: Andre Swai, State Champion; Dakota Perry, 2nd; Collin Tuerk, 3rd; Hannah Jones, 5th.
• Informative Speaking: Shainna Ralston, State Champion; Samantha Sallee of Danville, Kentucky, 2nd; Reese Johnson of Burnsville, Minnesota, 3rd; Tess Welch, 4th.
• Persuasion: Christian Butterfield, State Champion; Tess Welch, 2nd; Jaleon Brown of Raytown, Missouri, 3rd.
• Poetry: Reggie Jefferson, State Champion; Noah Gordon of Pittsburg, California, 2nd.
• Program Oral Interpretation: Danielle Williams, State Champion; Jonah Johnson, 2nd; Tani Washington, 3rd; Kellin Robinson of Roseville, Minnesota, 4th.
• Prose: Samantha Sallee, State Champion; Shainna Ralston, 2nd; Rashon Leda of Lafayette, Louisiana, 3rd; Mauricio Patino of Stockton, California, 4th; Dakota Perry, 5th.
• Radio Broadcasting: Dakota Perry, State Champion; Andre Swai, 3rd.

Results from the District VI AFA-NST Spring Qualifying tournament are as follows:

• After Dinner Speaking: Joey Eberle, 1st; Dakota Perry, 4th.
• Communication Analysis: Christian Butterfield, 2nd; Collin Tuerk, 3rd.
• Dramatic Interpretation: Reggie Jefferson, 1st.
• Extemporaneous Speaking: Joey Eberle, 1st.
• Impromptu Speaking: Dakota Perry, 2nd; Antonina Clementi, 3rd.
• Informative Speaking: Reese Johnson, 1st; Tess Welch, 2nd.
• Persuasive Speaking: Jaleon Brown, 3rd; Tess Welch, 4th.
• Prose Interpretation: Samantha Sallee, 1st; Dakota Perry, 4th.

More: Check out the WKU Forensics Facebook page or follow @wkuforensics  and @DebateWku on Twitter.

Contact: Ganer Newman, (270) 745-6340

-- WKU –

Western Kentucky University prides itself on positioning its students, faculty and staff for long term success. As a student-centered, applied research university, WKU helps students expand on classroom learning by integrating education with real-world applications in the communities we serve. Our hilltop campus is located in Bowling Green, Kentucky, which was recently named by Reader’s Digest as one of the nicest towns in America, just an hour’s drive from Nashville, Tennessee.