Truman Forensics Has Big Weekend at Gorlock Gala

 
Truman Forensic Union (speech and debate team) attended the annual Gorlock Gala hosted by Webster University the weekend of Jan. 23-25.

This year was an especially big showing with 49 schools from across the nation and easily more than 800 entries in speech and debate. This makes the Gorlock the largest tournament of Truman’s competitive season before attending the National Forensic Association’s national tournament in April.
 
In Lincoln-Douglas debate, freshman Collin O’Connell advanced to the quarterfinal round of the novice division. Junior Mackenzie Barnes, competing in the open division of Lincoln-Douglas, advanced through to octofinal rounds. However, Barnes was also ranked the top speaker in open Lincoln-Douglas debate out of a field of 55 other competitors.
 
Truman Forensics also had success in individual events speaking. Sophomore Adrien Zambrano advanced to the semi-final round of impromptu speaking. Sophomore Anson Long-Seabra advanced to the final rounds of both afterdinner speaking and poetry interpretation. Long-Seabra would place second in afterdinner and poetry.

Additionally, the tournament recognized students who held high ranks but, due to tournament size, could not be advanced to elimination rounds. As a result freshman Brian Kantanka received an excellence award in poetry interpretation and junior Dillon Laaker received his excellence award in extemporaneous speaking.
 
After a successful run at the Gorlock Gala, the Truman Forensic Union will take three weeks off to prepare for the 2015 Missouri Association of Forensic Activities State Championship Tournament. This year, Crowder Community College in Neosho, Mo., will host the tournament, Feb. 13-14.

Participation in the forensics program is open to any Truman student in good standing, regardless of prior speech and debate experience. For more information on how to get involved, visit forensics.truman.edu or contact Christopher Outzen, director of individual events, at coutzen@truman.edu, or Kevin Minch, interim director of forensics, at kminch@truman.edu.