Forensics Has Successful First Tournaments

The Truman Forensic Union opened their competitive season with two successful tournaments in Bowling Green, Ky., and Bolivar, Mo., earning two sweepstakes awards and 13 national qualifications.
 
Forensics traveled to Bowling Green for tournaments hosted by Western Kentucky University, Sept. 21. At the season-opening Alexis Elliot Memorial Round Robin, senior Johnathan Christy advanced to the final round of Lincoln-Douglas debate (LD) in a highly selective field consisting of the most competitive students in the country. Christy finished the tournament in second place and was named the best speaker of the tournament. Fellow senior Tyler Behymer was also selected for the tournament and finished in fourth place.
 
The team also competed in full at the Western Kentucky Fall Fiesta, Sept. 22. Christy made elimination rounds of LD and finished the tournament as an octofinalist. He was named the second-best speaker at the tournament. Sophomore Maguire Radosevic also advanced and finished as an octofinalist. Fellow sophomores Peyton Gilbert and Cami Smith advanced to quarterfinals. Smith was also named the second-best speaker at the tournament.
 
Truman Forensics later traveled to Bolivar for the annual Bob R. Derryberry Memorial tournament, hosted by Southwest Baptist University. Behymer advanced to the final round and won the tournament in debate. First-years Macy Cecil and Jackson Elder each advanced to elimination rounds of the novice LD division. Cecil finished as an octofinalist while Elder finished as a quarterfinalist.
 
In individual events at the Derryberry Memorial, junior Austin Sopko finished the tournament with fifth place in impromptu speaking and third place in afterdinner speaking. Sophomore Audrey Baker had similar successes in her two events, placing fourth in afterdinner speaking and second in dramatic interpretation. Junior Caleb Daniels advanced as a finalist in extemporaneous speaking, placing sixth. First-year Malena Gansmann reached finals of program oral interpretation and placed sixth as well.
 
In addition to individual student successes, Truman Forensics earned third place in debate sweepstakes and third in overall sweepstakes for the 2018 Derryberry Memorial. The team will travel to Warrensburg, Mo., to compete in the annual Missouri Mule and Dale Carnegie Swing tournament.
 
Inquiries about Truman Forensics can be sent to Chris Outzen, director of forensics, or Craig Hennigan, assistant director of forensics.