Forensics Continues Successful Season

The Speech and Debate Team brought back 12 awards from two individual event tournaments and one Lincoln-Douglas debate tournament in Omaha, Neb., Oct. 22-24. 

In debate, the team competed against 14 other schools. With six competitors in varsity and two in junior varsity, the team placed fourth overall.  Senior Dylan Clark led the team, making it to semifinals. Of the 43 total varsity competitors, Clark received a ninth place individual speaking award. Freshman Nick Gorman made it to the varsity octofinal elimination round, receiving a fourth place individual speaking award.

In the junior varsity division, Kory Anderson competed against 12 other competitors.  Anderson made it to the semi-final round, meaning he was in the top four competitors based on win/loss record. 

All three of these debaters are now qualified to compete in the National Forensics Association Championship Tournament in April. 

“The competition at Creighton featured some tough teams,” Russ Luce, assistant director of forensics, said. “With such a young squad, it was good to see that we held our own. I think with some work, we will be in a position to do well at the next debate tournament.”

In individual events, the team faced 13 schools in two separate tournaments at Creighton University. Sophomore Jessica Petrie made it to the final rounds in all events in both competitions.  Petrie placed first of 16 in extemporaneous speaking, second of 21 in persuasion, and third of 33 in impromptu speaking.

In the second competition, Petrie placed first in persuasion, second in extemporaneous speaking, and third in impromptu speaking. Junior Mel Kapitan also made it to the semifinal round in impromptu speaking on the second day.

For more information about Truman Forensics, contact Kristi Scholten, director of forensics, at kscholten@truman.edu.

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