WKU News

The WKU Forensics Team continued its fast start to the season by taking first place in sweepstakes at the Dr. Frank Thompson Jr. Crimson Classic the weekend of Oct. 3-4. The team also placed second Oct. 4 at the second half of the Virginia is for Lovers swing hosted by James Madison University.

The two tournaments used different competition models, allowing the team to submit recorded video performances to the Crimson Tournament, hosted by the University of Alabama, and participate in live synchronous competition hosted on video conferencing platforms developed specifically for Speech and Debate tournaments in Virginia. 

At the Crimson Classic, WKU junior Parker Anderson of Hodgenville was recognized as the second-place finisher in Individual sweepstakes, while the WKU team placed ahead of Illinois State University, Mississippi State University and Concordia University Irvine. At the Virginia is for Lovers tournament, WKU finished ahead of George Mason University, the University of Alabama and Seton Hall University.

The team will compete this weekend at a competition hosted by Illinois State University.

Results from the Crimson Classic are as follows:

• After Dinner Speaking: Emma Warnecke of Detroit, Michigan, first;  Reese Johnson of Burnsville, Minnesota, fourth; Kelly Lingen of Lakeville, Minnesota, fifth.
• Dramatic Interpretation: Paige Allbright of Lafayette, Louisiana, first; Reese Johnson of Burnsville, Minnesota, fourth.
• Duo Interpretation: Corey Newsome of Morehead and Paige Allbright of Lafayette, Louisiana, first; Rickey Williams of Minneapolis, Minnesota, and Warren Forstmann of Hollywood, Florida, second.
• Extemporaneous Speaking: Madelynn Einhorn of Oakwood, Ohio, first; Isaac Killer of Kansas City, Missouri, second; Miles Morton of Sherman Oaks, California, fifth.
• Impromptu Speaking: Parker Anderson of Hodgenville, third.
• Informative Speaking: Derek Collins of Hattiesburg, Mississippi, first; Parker Anderson of Hodgenville, second; Amanda Langford, of Goodlettsville, Tennessee, fourth.
• Poetry Interpretation: Warren Forstmann of Hollywood, Florida, first; Rickey Williams of Minneapolis, Minnesota, second.
• Program Oral Interpretation: Kellin Robinson of Roseville, Minnesota, first.
• Prose Interpretation: Kelly Lingen of Lakeville, Minnesota, fourth. 

Results from the Virginia is for Lovers are as follows:

• After Dinner Speaking: Reese Johnson of Burnsville, Minnesota, first; Jo Headrick of Wadsworth, Ohio, fourth.
• Communication Analysis: Tani Washington of Henrico, Virginia, second, Rahmane Dixon of Houston, Texas, fifth.
• Dramatic Interpretation: Paige Allbright of Lafayette, Louisiana, fifth.
• Duo Interpretation: Corey Newsome of Morehead and Paige Allbright of Lafayette, Louisiana, first.
• Impromptu Speaking: Rahmane Dixon of Houston, Texas, second.
• Informative Speaking: Derek Collins of Hattiesburg, Mississippi, first; Autumn Howard of Hendersonville, Tennessee, second.
• Poetry Interpretation: Warren Forstmann of Hollywood, Florida, first; Rickey Williams of Minneapolis, Minnesota, second.
• Program Oral Interpretation: Reggie Jefferson of Houston, Texas, first.
• Prose Interpretation: Rashon Leday of Lafayette, Louisiana, fifth; Paige Allbright of Lafayette, Louisiana, sixth.

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

Contact: Ganer Newman, (270) 745-6340