WKU News

WKU’s Forensics Team won both tournaments hosted by Illinois State University in Normal, Illinois, the weekend of Oct. 5-6.

The WKU team defeated 13 other schools, including Bradley University, Ball State University, Eastern Michigan University and Wayne State University. In addition, three WKU students were recognized as ranking in the top three as individual competitors: Derek Collins won on Saturday, and Faith LoPiccolo placed second; and on Sunday, LoPiccolo placed second again, and Ryan Gosling placed third.

Next week the team will travel to Tuscaloosa, Alabama, to compete at the University of Alabama “Crimson Classic.”

Results from the Illinois State University “Back to the Nest” Swing tournaments are as follows:

• Derek Collins, a junior from Hattiesburg, Mississippi, tournament champion in individual sweepstakes, tournament champion in poetry interpretation, tournament champion in informative speaking, tournament champion in persuasive speaking and tournament champion in duo interpretation (with Ryan Gosling) at the Saturday tournament; tournament champion in informative speaking, tournament champion in poetry interpretation, tournament champion in duo interpretation (with Ryan Gosling) and fifth in persuasive speaking at the Sunday tournament.
• Faith LoPiccolo, a senior from Lexington, tournament champion in after-dinner speaking, tournament champion in dramatic interpretation, second in individual sweepstakes, third in prose interpretation and third in duo interpretation (with Kelly Lingen) at the Saturday tournament; tournament champion in after-dinner speaking, tournament champion in prose interpretation, second in individual sweepstakes, second in dramatic interpretation and third in duo interpretation (with Kelly Lingen) at the Sunday tournament.
• Ryan Gosling, a junior from West Palm Beach, Florida, tournament champion in dramatic interpretation, tournament champion in duo interpretation (with Derek Collins), second in poetry interpretation, third in individual sweepstakes and third in prose interpretation at the Sunday tournament; tournament champion in duo interpretation (with Derek Collins) and fourth in poetry interpretation at the Saturday tournament.
• Miles Morton, a freshman from Sherman Oaks, California, tournament champion in extemporaneous speaking and second in impromptu speaking at the Sunday tournament; tournament champion in extemporaneous speaking at the Saturday tournament.
• April Saysithi, a freshman from St. Michael, Minnesota, tournament champion in programmed oral interpretation at the Saturday tournament; fourth in programmed oral interpretation at the Sunday tournament.
• Rahmane Dixon, a junior from Houston, Texas, tournament champion in impromptu speaking, second in informative speaking and sixth in extemporaneous speaking at the Sunday tournament; third in impromptu speaking, fourth in informative speaking and sixth in persuasive speaking at the Saturday tournament.
• Caitlyn Woitena, a freshman from Houston, Texas, second in prose interpretation at the Saturday tournament; fifth in dramatic interpretation at the Sunday tournament.
• Kelly Lingen, a sophomore from Lakeville, Minnesota, third in poetry interpretation, third in duo interpretation (with Faith LoPiccolo) and fourth in persuasive speaking at the Saturday tournament; third in poetry interpretation, third in duo interpretation (with Faith LoPiccolo) and fifth in prose interpretation at the Sunday tournament.
• Paige Allbright, a sophomore from Youngsville, Louisiana, second in prose interpretation, fourth in after-dinner speaking, and fourth in dramatic interpretation at the Sunday tournament; fourth in programmed oral interpretation and eighth in after-dinner speaking at the Saturday tournament.
• Ben Hanson, a sophomore from Louisville, fourth in extemporaneous speaking at the Sunday tournament.

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

Contact: Ganer Newman, (270) 745-6340