WKU News

The WKU Forensics Team won both the National Forensic Association National Tournament championship and the National Forensic Association Lincoln-Douglas Debate Team Sweepstakes national championship, hosted this year by the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh over the April 20-24 weekend.

WKU sent 36 competitors with a total of 131 individual event entries and nine debate entries to the national tournament. Of the total entries, 85 advanced to octofinal rounds, 56 advanced to quarterfinal rounds, 35 advanced to the semifinal round and 15 events made it to the final round of competition.

WKU was crowned team sweepstakes champion with 885 points, while the University of Texas at Austin placed second with 796 points and Bradley University placed third with 731.5 points. Other top 10 schools included Ball State University, Illinois State University, Eastern Michigan University and Northwestern University.

The WKU team was also crowned team sweepstakes champion in Lincoln-Douglas debate. Other top-ranked schools competing in debate included Missouri State University, the University of Nebraska at Lincoln, Truman State University, Central Michigan University and Pennsylvania State University.

In addition to the team’s success, forensics team members captured four out of the 15 individual sweepstakes awards, which recognizes personal success across five different events across at least two different genres (i.e.: public address, limited preparation, interpretation). Junior Andrea Ambam placed second overall in the nation, after reaching elimination rounds in every event in which she competed. Six other teammates also advanced all of their events. Senior Lyric Davis placed sixth, senior Lily Nellans placed 12^th and senior Asha Wasuge placed 15^th. 

“Forensics teaches students crucial lessons about research, critical thinking, social justice, ethics and the power of persuasion to improve our communities. Sometimes, the lessons are more rudimentary: hard work pays off,” said Director of Forensics Ganer Newman.

“Our success at this tournament is a result of a season-long endeavor that began in August. Over the course of five long days, our students faced intense competition from universities like UT Austin, Northwestern and Penn State. We didn’t have the largest entry at the tournament, but our students remained focused, committed to their messages, and dedicated to helping the team succeed. As a result, several first-year students advanced to late out-rounds and all of our senior students were recognized as a top-24 speaker in at least one event. We confronted many challenges as a squad this season, but countless hours of practice and our students’ enduring competitive spirit resulted in two team national championships for WKU. I am so proud of the effort of these students and their dedicated coaches.”

The NFA national tournament brings the competition year to a close. Work will quickly begin for the next season. “We’ll take a few days to rest and enjoy the time with our seniors, then we start looking ahead to next year,” Newman said. “We have a few major recruitment trips and our annual high school summer institute. Next week, we go back to the drawing board to begin researching for next season."

Individual results from the National Forensic Association National Tournament are as follows:

• Andrea Ambam, a junior from Peculiar, Missouri, national champion in rhetorical criticism, national champion in duo interpretation (with Lyric Davis), second in pentathlon, second in programmed oral interpretation, semifinalist in after-dinner speaking, semifinalist in informative speaking, semifinalist in prose interpretation and quarterfinalist in persuasive speaking.
• Lyric Davis, a senior from Blue Springs, Missouri, national champion in duo interpretation (with Andrea Ambam), fourth in after-dinner speaking, sixth in pentathlon, semifinalist in informative speaking, semifinalist in prose interpretation and quarterfinalist in duo interpretation (with Sam Moore).
• Lily Nellans, a senior from Des Moines, Iowa, second in impromptu speaking, fourth in extemporaneous speaking, 12^th in pentathlon, semifinalist in rhetorical criticism, quarterfinalist in persuasive speaking and octofinalist in informative speaking.
• Brian Anderson, a junior from Hodgenville, second in extemporaneous speaking, 10^th debate speaker and quarterfinalist in Lincoln-Douglas debate.
• Alex Rivera, a sophomore from Newton, Kansas, second debate speaker and quarterfinalist in Lincoln-Douglas debate.
• Asha Wasuge, a senior from Irvine, California, third in programmed oral interpretation, 15^th in pentathlon, semifinalist in prose interpretation, quarterfinalist in after-dinner speaking, quarterfinalist in poetry interpretation and octofinalist in duo interpretation (with Matt Wisenden).
• Bailey Rung, a senior from Blaine, Minnesota, fourth debate speaker, sixth in impromptu speaking, quarterfinalist in extemporaneous speaking and octofinalist in Lincoln-Douglas debate.
• Sean Diaz, a senior from El Paso, Texas, fourth in programmed oral interpretation, semifinalist in duo interpretation (with Durwan Green), semifinalist in poetry interpretation, quarterfinalist in dramatic interpretation, quarterfinalist in prose interpretation and octofinalist in duo interpretation (with Sam Moore).
• Murphy Burke, a senior from Des Moines, Iowa, fourth in informative speaking, semifinalist in persuasive speaking, quarterfinalist in after-dinner speaking, quarterfinalist in extemporaneous speaking and octofinalist in impromptu speaking.
• Mackenzie Birkey, a senior from Sheboygan, Wisconsin, fifth in informative speaking, quarterfinalist in prose interpretation, octofinalist in after-dinner speaking and octofinalist in persuasive speaking.
• Durwan Green, a senior from Lewisville, Texas, sixth in duo interpretation (with Matt Wisenden), semifinalist in duo interpretation (with Sean Diaz), semifinalist in dramatic interpretation and semifinalist in poetry interpretation.
• Megan Armstrong, a senior from Morehead, sixth in rhetorical criticism, semifinalist in extemporaneous speaking, quarterfinalist in impromptu speaking and quarterfinalist in informative speaking.
• Emma Warnecke, a freshman from West Bloomfield, Michigan, sixth in persuasive speaking, semifinalist in programmed oral interpretation, quarterfinalist in poetry interpretation and octofinalist in rhetorical criticism.
• Matt Wisenden, a junior from Moorhead, Minnesota, sixth in duo interpretation (with Durwan Green), quarterfinalist in dramatic interpretation, octofinalist in informative speaking and octofinalist in duo interpretation (with Asha Wasuge).
• Isaac Keller, a freshman from Kansas City, Missouri, ninth debate speaker and double-octofinalist in Lincoln-Douglas debate.
• Sam Moore, a senior from Blue Springs, Missouri, semifinalist in poetry interpretation, semifinalist in dramatic interpretation, quarterfinalist in duo interpretation (with Lyric Davis), octofinalist in duo interpretation (with Sean Diaz) and octofinalist in prose interpretation.
• Casey Child, a junior from Taylor Mill, semifinalist in programmed oral interpretation, quarterfinalist in informative speaking, octofinalist in persuasive speaking and octofinalist in prose interpretation.
• Rickey Williams, a freshman from Minneapolis, Minnesota, semifinalist in duo interpretation (with Zakiyyah Sanders), quarterfinalist in poetry interpretation and octofinalist in rhetorical criticism.
• Zakkiyah Sanders, a freshman from Apple Valley, Minnesota, semifinalist in duo interpretation (with Rickey Williams), quarterfinalist in poetry interpretation and octofinalist in prose interpretation.
• Anthony Survance, a sophomore from Louisville, semifinalist in Lincoln-Douglas debate and octofinalist in impromptu speaking.
• Bradley Wascher, a sophomore from Montgomery, Alabama, semifinalist in extemporaneous speaking and octofinalist in impromptu speaking.
• Michael Rizzo, a senior from Weston, Florida, quarterfinalist in informative speaking, octofinalist in persuasive speaking and octofinalist in rhetorical criticism.
• Sabas Del Toro, a junior from El Paso, Texas, quarterfinalist in poetry interpretation and octofinalist in dramatic interpretation.
• Natalie Hedberg, a junior from Chaska, Minnesota, quarterfinalist in informative speaking and octofinalist in persuasive speaking.
• Claire Champagne, a sophomore from Breaux Bridge, Louisiana, octofinalist in after-dinner speaking, octofinalist in persuasive speaking and octofinalist in poetry interpretation.
• Lane Hedrick, a junior from Morehead, octofinalist in extemporaneous speaking, octofinalist in impromptu speaking and octofinalist in persuasive speaking.
• Alyssa Wilhelm, a sophomore from Roseville, Minnesota, octofinalist in after-dinner speaking and octofinalist in prose interpretation.
• Faith LoPiccolo, a sophomore from Lexington, octofinalist in after-dinner speaking and octofinalist in rhetorical criticism.
• Corey Newsome, a freshman from Morehead, octofinalist in after-dinner speaking and octofinalist in prose interpretation.
• Tayland Ratliff, a freshman from Youngsville, Louisiana, octofinalist in dramatic interpretation.
• Kelly Stone, a junior from Louisburg, Kansas, octofinalist in Lincoln-Douglas debate.
• Emily Falica, a sophomore from Scottsville, octofinalist in impromptu speaking.
• Ashlyn Jones, a freshman from Lafayette, Louisiana, double-octofinalist in Lincoln-Douglas debate.

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

Contact: Ganer Newman, (270) 745-6340