Forensics Has Successful First Tournament

Truman’s forensic union started the 2025-26 competitive season strong with 40% of the team qualifying for nationals at the Washburn LD Warmup, hosted online by Washburn University, Sept. 20-21.

This year’s Lincoln-Douglas debate topic asks students to affirm or negate the resolution “Resolved: The United States Federal Government should substantially increase its military presence and/or scientific exploration in the Arctic or Antarctic.” First-year novice team members Nevah Carter, communications disorders major; Tessa Kremer, statistics major; and Emmett Beeson, business administration major; all made elimination rounds with Carter placing second in the novice division. Kremer and Beeson were a semifinalist and quarterfinalist, respectively. Carter was also first speaker in the novice division, and Kremer was fifth speaker. Speaker points are awarded to each debater for how well they performed when speaking in rounds, independent of the decision of who won or lost.

Returning competitors Adli Jacobs, junior political science/criminal justice double major, made it to quarterfinals, beating competitors from regional schools Washburn, Illinois College and McKendree. Aiden Breesawitz, senior communication major, competed in varsity debate and was awarded fourth place speaker. While debaters may compete one-on-one, debate is truly a team sport. 

“It’s the support and community on our team that makes success like this possible,” said Lars Wagener, assistant director of forensics. “Making an elimination round in debate qualifies a student for nationals. To have four debaters qualified this early is excellent.”