Truman Forensics Has Novice National Champions

Truman Forensics had yet another successful weekend with two sweepstakes and four individual wins at the Novice Nationals Tournament in Indianapolis.

The team’s newest competitors experienced success in this tournament for first-year debaters, with several of the freshman forensic team members winning national titles. These include Kelsey Barnes, who won the Lincoln-Douglas debate competition and Brian Kantanka, who won the dramatic interpretation championship. Other prominent individual awards include Collin O’Connell, who was named the fourth-best speaker of the weekend, and Connor Stewart, who placed fourth in extemporaneous speaking.
 
In addition to individual success, Truman forensics took home two sweepstakes awards. With only four students, the team earned enough points to win Division III Team Sweepstakes. The team also earned the tournament’s Quality Award, given to schools with the highest-earned point total per entry.

Truman Forensics will be competing at the National Forensic Association’s national tournament in Athens, Ohio, this April.
 
Participation in the forensics program is open to any Truman student in good standing, regardless of prior speech and debate experience. Students can learn how to get involved by visiting forensics.truman.edu, or contacting Christopher Outzen, director of individual events, or Kevin Minch, interim director of forensics.