WKU News

WKU Forensics Team members won team sweepstakes championship at the Ruby Krider tournament at Murray State (top photo) and placed third in team sweepstakes at the Urbana-Champaign tournament at Illinois (bottom photo).

WKU’s Forensics Team traveled to Urbana-Champaign, Illinois, and Murray to take part in four tournaments the weekend of Feb. 2-3.

The squad of six in Illinois placed third in team sweepstakes at the Urbana-Champaign tournament. In addition, all students advanced to at least one elimination round. Other competing schools included Arizona State University, Bradley University, Illinois State University and Northern Illinois University.

In Murray, WKU won the team sweepstakes championship at the Ruby Krider tournament, ahead of 11 other schools including North Central College, Berry College, Tennessee State University and Carson Newman University. In addition, all members of the team advanced to an elimination round in at least one event.

Next weekend the team will compete in the 46th Annual Kentucky Forensic Association State Tournament to defend the state title in Louisville. Following that, the team will host the Fourth Annual Black Excellence Exposition at 7 p.m. Feb. 13 in the Downing Student Union Auditorium.

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

• Derek Collins, a sophomore from Hattiesburg, Mississippi, tournament champion in communication analysis, third in prose interpretation and third in after-dinner speaking at the Urbana-Champaign tournament; third in prose interpretation at the Illinis Alumni tournament.
• Ryan Gosling, a sophomore from West Palm Beach, Florida, tournament champion in dramatic interpretation and second in prose interpretation at the Urbana-Champaign tournament; tournament champion in prose interpretation at the Illinis Alumni tournament.
• Faith LoPiccolo, a junior from Lexington, tournament champion in prose interpretation and fourth in persuasive speaking at the Urbana-Champaign tournament; tournament champion in persuasive speaking at the Illinis Alumni tournament.
• Bradley Wascher, a junior from Montgomery, Alabama, tournament champion in informative speaking at the Urbana-Champaign tournament; fifth in persuasive speaking at the Illinis Alumni tournament.
• Natalie Hedberg, a senior from Chaska, Minnesota, second in persuasive speaking and sixth in poetry interpretation at the Urbana-Champaign tournament; third in persuasive speaking at the Illinis Alumni tournament.
• Kelly Lingen, a freshman from Lakeville, Minnesota, third in poetry interpretation and fourth in after-dinner speaking at the Urbana-Champaign tournament; third in after-dinner speaking at the Illinis Alumni tournament.

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

• Tayland Ratliff, a sophomore from Youngsville, Louisiana, tournament champion in dramatic interpretation, tournament champion in persuasive speaking and second in poetry interpretation at the Ruby Krider tournament.
• Tess Welch, a freshman from Houston, Texas, tournament champion in novice impromptu speaking and second in novice extemporaneous speaking at the Ruby Krider tournament.
• Madelynn Einhorn, a freshman from Oakwood, Ohio, tournament champion in novice extemporaneous speaking and third in novice impromptu speaking at the Ruby Krider tournament.
• Lane Hedrick, a senior from Morehead, tournament champion in informative speaking and fifth in after-dinner speaking at the Ruby Krider tournament; sixth in after-dinner speaking at the Murray Alumni tournament.
• Reese Johnson, a freshman from Burnsville, Minnesota, tournament champion in after-dinner speaking and sixth in dramatic interpretation at the Ruby Krider tournament; tournament champion in dramatic interpretation at the Murray Alumni tournament.
• Symone Whalin, a sophomore from Sonora, tournament champion in persuasive speaking, fifth in after-dinner speaking and sixth in informative speaking at the Murray Alumni tournament.
• Isaac Keller, a sophomore from Kansas City, Missouri, tournament champion in extemporaneous speaking at the Murray Alumni tournament; sixth in extemporaneous speaking at the Ruby Krider tournament.
• Casey Child, a senior from Taylor Mill, tournament champion in informative speaking at the Murray Alumni tournament; sixth in informative speaking at the Ruby Krider tournament.
• Paige Allbright, a freshman from Youngsville, Louisiana, second in dramatic interpretation, second in after-dinner speaking and third in prose interpretation at the Ruby Krider tournament; second in dramatic interpretation and sixth in prose interpretation at the Murray Alumni tournament.
• Parker Anderson, a freshman from Hodgenville, second in novice informative speaking, second in novice impromptu speaking and third in after-dinner speaking at the Ruby Krider tournament; fourth in informative speaking at the Murray Alumni tournament.
• Emma Warnecke, a sophomore from West Bloomfield, Michigan, second in communication analysis, third in programmed oral interpretation and fourth in informative speaking at the Ruby Krider tournament; second in programmed oral interpretation at the Murray Alumni tournament.
• Amanda Langford, a freshman from Goodlettsville, Tennessee, second in persuasive speaking, third in novice informative speaking and third in novice prose interpretation at the Ruby Krider tournament; fifth in informative speaking at the Murray Alumni tournament.
• Rickey Williams, a sophomore from Minneapolis, Minnesota, second in informative speaking and third in communication analysis at the Ruby Krider tournament; second in communication analysis at the Murray Alumni tournament.
• Brian Anderson, a senior from Hodgenville, second in extemporaneous speaking at the Ruby Krider tournament; fourth in impromptu speaking and fifth in communication analysis at the Murray Alumni tournament.
• Jessica Duncan, a freshman from Arnaudville, Louisiana, second in persuasive speaking at the Murray Alumni tournament; seventh in dramatic interpretation at the Ruby Krider tournament.
• Ben Hanson, a freshman from Louisville, third in novice extemporaneous speaking and fourth in novice impromptu speaking at the Ruby Krider tournament.
• Andrea Ambam, a senior from Peculiar, Missouri, fourth in persuasive speaking at the Ruby Krider tournament; fourth in persuasive speaking at the Murray Alumni tournament.
• Kelly Stone, a senior from Louisburg, Kansas, fourth in communication analysis at the Ruby Krider tournament.

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

Contact: Ganer Newman, (270) 745-6340