WKU News

WKU’s Forensics Team traveled to Urbana-Champaign, Illinois, and Murray to take part in four tournaments the weekend of Feb. 3-4.

In Illinois, WKU’s squad of seven placed second in team sweepstakes at the Urbana-Champaign tournament. Junior Natalie Hedberg also won the individual sweepstakes at the Springfield tournament, a measure of personal success across multiple events. Other competing schools included Illinois State University, the University of Illinois-Chicago and Bradley University. Additionally, all students advanced to at least one elimination round.

Next weekend the team will travel to Lebanon, Illinois, to compete in two tournaments at McKendree University. In two weeks, the team will compete in the 45th Annual Kentucky Forensic Association State Tournament to defend the state title. At the same time, a contingent of students will also travel to Tuscaloosa, Alabama, to compete in the district qualifier for the American Forensic Association National Individual Events Tournament.

Results from the Third Annual Urbana-Champaign/Springfield “Illinis Stars Swing” tournament are as follows:

• Murphy Burke, a senior from Des Moines, Iowa, tournament champion in informative speaking and second in extemporaneous speaking at the Urbana-Champaign tournament; tournament champion in informative speaking at the Springfield tournament.
• Andrea Ambam, a junior from Peculiar, Missouri, tournament champion in communication analysis and second in prose interpretation at the Urbana-Champaign tournament; tournament champion in prose interpretation at the Springfield tournament.
• Sam Moore, a senior from Blue Springs, Missouri, tournament champion in prose interpretation and second in duo interpretation (with Lyric Davis) at the Urbana-Champaign tournament; third in duo interpretation (with Lyric Davis) and sixth in prose interpretation at the Springfield tournament.
• Lyric Davis, a senior from Blue Springs, Missouri, second in informative speaking and second in duo interpretation (with Sam Moore) at the Urbana-Champaign tournament; third in duo interpretation (with Sam Moore) at the Springfield tournament.
• Natalie Hedberg, a junior from Chaska, Minnesota, tournament champion in individual sweepstakes, second in extemporaneous speaking, second in prose interpretation and fourth in informative speaking at the Springfield tournament; fifth in poetry interpretation at the Urbana-Champaign tournament.
• Lily Nellans, a senior from Des Moines, Iowa, second in persuasive speaking at the Springfield tournament; third in persuasive speaking at the Urbana-Champaign tournament.
• Sean Diaz, a senior from El Paso, Texas, fourth in prose interpretation at the Springfield tournament; fifth in prose interpretation at the Urbana-Champaign tournament.

Results from the Murray State “Ruby C. Krider” and Murray Alumni Swing are as follows:

• Matt Wisenden, a junior from Moorhead, Minnesota, tournament champion in duo interpretation (with Durwan Green) and second in informative speaking at the Ruby Krider tournament; tournament champion in informative speaking at the Murray Alumni tournament.
• Zakkiyah Sanders, a freshman from Apple Valley, Minnesota, tournament champion in poetry interpretation and third in duo interpretation (with Rickey Williams) at the Ruby Krider tournament; tournament champion in poetry interpretation and third in duo interpretation (with Rickey Williams) at the Murray Alumni tournament.
• Asha Wasuge, a senior from Irvine, California, tournament champion in prose interpretation and third in programmed oral interpretation at the Ruby Krider tournament; tournament champion in prose interpretation at the Murray Alumni tournament.
• Corey Newsome, a freshman from Morehead, tournament champion in after-dinner speaking, second in prose interpretation and third in dramatic interpretation at the Murray Alumni tournament; third in after-dinner speaking at the Ruby Krider tournament.
• Megan Armstrong, a senior from Morehead, tournament champion in communication analysis, third in informative speaking and seventh in persuasive speaking at the Murray Alumni tournament; second in impromptu speaking, second in after-dinner speaking, fourth in pentathlon and fourth in persuasive speaking at the Ruby Krider tournament.
• Durwan Green, a senior from Lewisville, Texas, tournament champion in duo interpretation (with Matt Wisenden) at the Ruby Krider tournament.
• Bailey Rung, a senior from Blaine, Minnesota, tournament champion in extemporaneous speaking at the Ruby Krider tournament.
• Lane Hedrick, a junior from Morehead, second in impromptu speaking, second in persuasive speaking and sixth in informative speaking at the Murray Alumni tournament; second in persuasive speaking, fourth in informative speaking and fourth in communication analysis at the Ruby Krider tournament.
• Rickey Williams, a freshman from Minneapolis, Minnesota, third in duo interpretation (with Kiyah Sanders) at the Ruby Krider tournament; third in duo interpretation (with Kiyah Sanders) at the Murray Alumni tournament.
• Kelly Stone, a junior from Louisburg, Kansas, third in communication analysis at the Ruby Krider tournament; fourth in communication analysis at the Murray Alumni tournament.
• Ashlyn Jones, a freshman from Lafayette, Louisiana, third in extemporaneous speaking and fourth in impromptu speaking at the Murray Alumni tournament.
• Symone Whalin, a freshman from Sonora, fourth in after-dinner speaking, fifth in poetry interpretation, and sixth in dramatic interpretation at the Murray Alumni tournament; fourth in poetry interpretation and sixth in dramatic interpretation at the Ruby Krider tournament.
• Zach Bernat, a freshman from Canfield, Ohio, fourth in prose interpretation and fourth in after-dinner speaking at the Ruby Krider tournament.

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

Contact: Ganer Newman, (270) 745-6340