Forensics Places Eighth in Nationwide Event
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The Truman Forensics Union is well into its national's season, having competed virtually at the Asynchronous Speech Championship March 25-29.
This online tournament gathers competitors from coast-to-coast without respect to institutional size or league affiliation. Competitors submit recordings of their speeches for competition, and Truman had 13 submissions break into elimination rounds. The team finished with eighth place in the nation in team sweepstakes, beating out nationally prominent schools such as Harvard, Vassar and Howard, as well as state schools such as Rutgers, the University of Minnesota, the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and several branches of the Cal-State system.
Making it to the national final round of their respective events, Annie Nguyen, first-year political science & international relations and environmental science double major, placed fifth and received the top novice award in Communication Analysis. Alex Peterson, fourth-year criminal justice and social issue advocacy double major, was third in Impromptu Speaking. Multiple students made it to the top 12 semifinal round of competition, including the Duo Interpretation team of Briggs Maynor, fourth-year chemistry major, and Jessie Philips, fourth-year political science major. Jack Unsell, a first-year political science and environmental science double major, was a semifinalist in both Extemporaneous and Impromptu Speaking. Peterson also reached the semifinals of Persuasive Speaking.
Nguyen was also a top 24 quarterfinalist in Informative and Persuasive speaking. She was joined in the Persuasive quarterfinal by Lauren Weiss, second-year biology major. In Extemporaneous Speaking, Jack Schroeder, second-year history major, and Sawyer Partney, second-year economics and political science major, were quarterfinalists. Maynor and Peterson were quarterfinalists in Duo Interpretation, with Maynor also bringing home a quarterfinalist placement in Poetry Interpretation.
Though not at a national championship, the team’s debaters competed this past weekend at the I-70 Cup, a synchronous online tournament. Ryan Franklin, second-year math major, was a semifinalist, outperforming debaters from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, UNLV, Purdue and Florida State, among others. Franklin was also ranked seventh speaker in the tournament. Ammishav McHugh, first-year political science and international relations major, was eighth place speaker, while Emmett Beeson, first-year business administration major, was 12th.
“This team continues to excel in this activity. It’s such an honor to watch them near the finish line for this season so strong,” said Ben Davis, director of forensics.
Truman Forensics will compete in its final competition for this season, the National Forensics Association Tournament, April 16-20, in Nashville, Tennessee. For more information, follow @trumanforensicunion on Instagram and visit forensics.truman.edu for additional details.
This online tournament gathers competitors from coast-to-coast without respect to institutional size or league affiliation. Competitors submit recordings of their speeches for competition, and Truman had 13 submissions break into elimination rounds. The team finished with eighth place in the nation in team sweepstakes, beating out nationally prominent schools such as Harvard, Vassar and Howard, as well as state schools such as Rutgers, the University of Minnesota, the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and several branches of the Cal-State system.
Making it to the national final round of their respective events, Annie Nguyen, first-year political science & international relations and environmental science double major, placed fifth and received the top novice award in Communication Analysis. Alex Peterson, fourth-year criminal justice and social issue advocacy double major, was third in Impromptu Speaking. Multiple students made it to the top 12 semifinal round of competition, including the Duo Interpretation team of Briggs Maynor, fourth-year chemistry major, and Jessie Philips, fourth-year political science major. Jack Unsell, a first-year political science and environmental science double major, was a semifinalist in both Extemporaneous and Impromptu Speaking. Peterson also reached the semifinals of Persuasive Speaking.
Nguyen was also a top 24 quarterfinalist in Informative and Persuasive speaking. She was joined in the Persuasive quarterfinal by Lauren Weiss, second-year biology major. In Extemporaneous Speaking, Jack Schroeder, second-year history major, and Sawyer Partney, second-year economics and political science major, were quarterfinalists. Maynor and Peterson were quarterfinalists in Duo Interpretation, with Maynor also bringing home a quarterfinalist placement in Poetry Interpretation.
Though not at a national championship, the team’s debaters competed this past weekend at the I-70 Cup, a synchronous online tournament. Ryan Franklin, second-year math major, was a semifinalist, outperforming debaters from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, UNLV, Purdue and Florida State, among others. Franklin was also ranked seventh speaker in the tournament. Ammishav McHugh, first-year political science and international relations major, was eighth place speaker, while Emmett Beeson, first-year business administration major, was 12th.
“This team continues to excel in this activity. It’s such an honor to watch them near the finish line for this season so strong,” said Ben Davis, director of forensics.
Truman Forensics will compete in its final competition for this season, the National Forensics Association Tournament, April 16-20, in Nashville, Tennessee. For more information, follow @trumanforensicunion on Instagram and visit forensics.truman.edu for additional details.
