WKU News

WKU’s Forensics Team placed second in team sweepstakes at two tournaments hosted by Carson-Newman University Nov. 23-24 in Jefferson City, Tennessee.

Fourteen other schools competed, including the University of Alabama, Belmont University and Murray State University. All members of the WKU team advanced to at least one final round.

The rest of the team stayed at home and hosted the annual junior high tournament known as the Junior Hilltopper Classic. SCAPA Bluegrass won the tournament, Bardstown Middle School placed second, and Bowling Green Junior High placed third.

The team will not travel for the remainder of the fall semester.

Results from the Carson-Newman/Berry College “Front Porch” Swing Tournaments are as follows:

• Rickey Williams, a junior from Minneapolis, Minnesota, tournament champion in communication analysis and tournament champion in duo interpretation (with Warren Forstmann) at the Sunday tournament; fourth in communication analysis and fourth in duo interpretation (with Warren Forstmann) at the Saturday tournament.
• Daliss Hicks, a freshman from Miramar, Florida, tournament champion in prose interpretation and second in duo interpretation (with Ryan Gosling) at the Saturday tournament; tournament champion in prose interpretation and second in duo interpretation (with Ryan Gosling) at the Sunday tournament
• Emma Warnecke, a junior from West Bloomfield, Michigan, tournament champion in poetry interpretation and second in programmed oral interpretation at the Saturday tournament; tournament champion in poetry interpretation at the Sunday tournament.
• Tayland Ratliff, a junior from Youngsville, Louisiana, tournament champion in duo interpretation (with Zakkiyah Sanders) and third in programmed oral interpretation at the Saturday tournament; third in programmed oral interpretation and third in duo interpretation (with Zakkiyah Sanders) at the Sunday tournament
• Zakkiyah Sanders, a junior from Apple Valley, Minnesota, tournament champion in duo interpretation (with Tayland Ratliff) and fifth in prose interpretation at the Saturday tournament; third in prose interpretation, third in duo interpretation (with Tayland Ratliff) and fifth in after-dinner speaking at the Sunday tournament
• Warren Forstmann, a freshman from Hollywood, Florida, tournament champion in duo interpretation (with Rickey Williams) at the Sunday tournament; second in poetry interpretation and fourth in duo interpretation (with Rickey Williams) at the Saturday tournament.
• Amanda Langford, a sophomore from Goodlettsville, Tennessee, tournament champion in communication analysis at the Saturday tournament; second in after-dinner speaking at the Sunday tournament.
• Taylor Headrick, a freshman from Wadsworth, Ohio, tournament champion in after-dinner speaking at the Saturday tournament.
• Reese Johnson, a sophomore from Burnsville, Minnesota, second in prose interpretation and second in poetry interpretation at the Sunday tournament; second in prose interpretation at the Saturday tournament.
• Ryan Gosling, a junior from West Palm Beach, Florida, second in duo interpretation (with Daliss Hicks) at the Saturday tournament; second in duo interpretation (with Daliss Hicks) at the Sunday tournament.
• Tess Welch, a sophomore from Houston, Texas, second in extemporaneous speaking and fourth in communication analysis at the Saturday tournament; fourth in extemporaneous speaking at the Saturday tournament.
• Symone Whalin, a junior from Sonora, third in impromptu speaking at the Saturday tournament; fifth in persuasive speaking at the Sunday tournament.
• April Saysithi, a freshman from St. Michael, Minnesota, fourth in after-dinner speaking and fourth in programmed oral interpretation at the Saturday tournament; fifth in after-dinner speaking at the Saturday tournament.
• Ben Hanson, a sophomore from Louisville, fourth in impromptu speaking at the Sunday tournament; fifth in extemporaneous speaking at the Saturday tournament.

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

Contact: Ganer Newman, (270) 745-6340