WKU News

The WKU Forensics Team was crowned team sweepstakes champion at the largest tournament of the fall semester Nov. 5-6 in Peoria, Illinois.

The 75th Annual L.E. Norton Memorial Tournament, hosted by Bradley University, is one of the oldest collegiate forensics tournaments and has often served as a predictor of success at the national tournaments at the end of the school year.

Thirty-one universities participated in the tournament, including George Mason University, the University of Alabama, and the University of Illinois at Chicago. WKU students won four of the 11 open division categories. Sophomore Cecilia Alali also placed fifth in Individual Sweepstakes, a measure of personal success across multiple categories.

Interpretation Coach Sean Diaz was pleased with the team’s positive competitive spirit. “The energy of our students was so exciting to see,” Diaz said. “For many this was their first large in-person tournament in quite some time. Being able to see so many of our students grow over the course of a long weekend was a testament to the hard work of our entire team and coaching staff. It was the perfect way to finish off the fall semester with a level of passion and focus that I believe will carry us all the way into Nationals in the Spring.”

In addition to the program’s success in speech events at the L.E. Norton Memorial Tournament, members of the debate team also participated at the 2022 Redbird Tournament hosted by Illinois State University. WKU tied Washburn University for first in Sweepstakes points. Other schools competing included Vanderbilt University, John Carroll University, and Florida State University.

Director of Debate Chad Meadows said: “We had a team goal of qualifying all of our active students to the National Forensics Association Championship in the first semester. With our efforts in novice and junior varsity debate at this tournament, we were able to do that. It wouldn’t be possible without the excellent leadership of our seniors who graciously supported their teammates through a challenging competition.”

Director of Forensics Ganer Newman praised the coaching staff for their leadership this weekend in two locations. “I am incredibly grateful for all the hard work our coaches put in to making our team a success,” he said. “They work tirelessly to motivate our students to develop and deliver nationally competitive arguments and it was awesome seeing our students succeed in multiple locations. We have a lot of work on our road to nationals in March and April, but I know our coaches are leading these students in the right direction.”

Next up, the team will compete at the Online Asynchronous Speech Tournament 3 Series as they prepare to host high school students from around the country at the 2022 Hilltopper Classic on Dec. 3.

Results from the 75th Annual L.E. Norton Invitational are as follows:

• After Dinner Speaking: Christian Butterfield of Bowling Green, Kentucky, 2nd; Racheal Akinbayo of Houston, Texas, 6th.
• Communication Analysis: Tani Washington of Henrico, Virginia, Champion; Collin Tuerk of Morehead, Kentucky, 3rd.
• Dramatic Interpretation: Caitlyn Woitena of Houston, Texas, 4th; Reginald Jefferson of Houston, Texas, 6th
• Novice Dramatic Interpretation: Denise Marin of Houston, Texas, Champion
• Duo Interpretation: Jonah Johnson of Burnsville, Minnesota, and Rashon Leday of Lafayette, Louisiana, Champions; Cecilia Alali of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, and Jonah Johnson, 4th
• Extemporaneous Speaking: Tani Washington, 4th
• Novice Extemporaneous Speaking: Kole Ingram of Hindman, Kentucky, 8th.
• Impromptu Speaking: Christian Butterfield, 6th.
• Informative Speaking: Tani Washington, Champion; Cecilia Alali, 3rd; Samantha Sallee of Danville, Kentucky, 4th; Racheal Akinbayo, 5th.
• Persuasive Speaking: Jaleon Brown of Rayton, Missouri, Champion, Kole Ingram, 5th. 
• Poetry Interpretation: Gabriella Abaunza-Hernandez of Farmington, Minnesota, 3rd; Cecilia Alali, 5th.
• Program Oral Interpretation: Racheal Akinbayo, 7th; Christian Butterfield, 8th
• Novice Program Oral Interpretation: JaKayla Brown of Kansas City, Kansas, Champion
• Novice Prose Interpretation: Micah Poole of Lafayette, Louisiana, 4th.

Results from the Redbird are as follows:

• Novice Speakers: Julie Mishchuk of Nicholasville, Kentucky, 2nd.
• Novice LD Debate: Julie Mishchuk, Top 8
• Junior Varsity Speakers: Imam Brula of Bowling Green, Kentucky, 2nd.
• Junior Varsity LD Debate: Imam Brula, Top 4.
• Varsity Speakers: Andre Swai of Springfield, Missouri, 3rd.
• Varsity LD Debate: Andre Swai, 2nd; Antonina Clementi of Lafayette, Louisiana, Top 8; Tanya Prabhakar of Danville, California, Top 16; Miles Morton of Sherman Oaks, California, Top 16; Rae Fournier of Woodbridge, Virginia, Top 16.

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

Photo caption: WKU Forensics Team members competed in the 75^th Annual L.E. Norton Invitational. Back row (from left): Dakota Perry, Somtoo Nkurumeh; second row (from left): Denise Marin, Micah Poole, Gabriella Abaunza-Hernandez, Cecilia Alali, Jonah Johnson, Reginald Jefferson, Danielle Williams, Joseph Eberle, Jaleon Brown, Kirsten Eversmann, Caroline Chubb; front row (from left): Christian Butterfield, Kole Ingram, JaKayala Brown, Samantha Sallee, Rachael Akinbayo, Collin Tuerk, Shainna Ralston, Caitlyn Woitena, Tani Washington, Rashon Leday.

Contact: Ganer Newman, (270) 745-6340

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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.