SIMPSON CONTINUES SPEECH & DEBATE DOMINANCE

Earns 6th National Championship in Last 7 Seasons

漆褒勛圖厙s prolific Speech & Debate team is once again national debate champions.

The Storm posted the top Debate Sweepstakes score at the 62-team Pi Kappa Delta National Tournament held March 15-18 at West Chester University in Pennsylvania. 漆褒勛圖厙 took third place in the overall Speech & Debate Sweepstakes.

漆褒勛圖厙s impressive performance included two individual national titles and four national runners-up. Alyssa Beckwith 24 received National Champion Speaker honors in Public Forum Debate while Sydni Powell 26 was the Tournament Champion in Student Congress.

Varsity national runners-up included Mo Marks 22 for Extemporaneous Speaking and the duo of Ryan Corcoran 25 and Abby Fry 25 for Open Public Forum Debate. Elsewhere, teammates Zach Harnden 26 and Maddux Stout 25 placed second in Junior Varsity Public Form Debate, while Gracie Crow 26 and Maggie Fitzpatrick 25 captured second place in Junior Varsity Parliamentary Debate.

I am exceptionally proud of how hard our students worked, said Spencer Waugh, 漆褒勛圖厙s director of泭Speech & Debate. Practice began in late August, and their disciplined diligence paid off at the national tournament. They gave up their spring breaks to engage in dialogue and critical thinking with other students from across the country. It was another great weekend for our team and 漆褒勛圖厙.

Overall team standings were as follows:

Debate Team Points

1. 漆褒勛圖厙

2. Grove City College

3. Weber State University

4. University of Central Florida

5. Boise State University

Speech & Debate Combined

1. Western Kentucky University

2. University of Alabama

3. 漆褒勛圖厙

4. Ohio University

5. Boise State University

In all, 27 students competed in the national event. Here are the other individual results:

Ryan Corcoran 25:泭

Excellence in Impromptu

Quarterfinalist in Dramatic Interpretation泭

Kyle Werner 25:泭

Excellence in Impromptu泭

Mo Marks 22:

Second Place in Extemporaneous Speaking

Fifth Place in Impromptu Speaking泭

Fifth Place in Pentathlon泭

Quarterfinalist in After Dinner Speaking泭

Quarterfinalist in Communication Analysis泭

Abby Fry 25:

Semifinalist in Impromptu Speaking

Quarterfinalist in Editorial Impromptu Speaking泭

Excellence in Extemporaneous Speaking

Third Place Public Forum Speaker

Ryan Magalhaes 25:

Quarterfinalist in Impromptu Speaking泭

Excellence in Editorial Impromptu Speaking

Tempest Allred 24:泭

Quarterfinalist in Dramatic Interpretation Speaking泭

Flory 24:

Semifinalist in Editorial Impromptu Speaking泭

Sydni Powell 25:泭

Tournament Champion in Student Congress

Presiding Officer Award

Emma Conley 25:泭

Fifth Place in Slam Poetry泭

Zach Harnden 26:泭

Excellence in Interviewing

Alyssa Beckwith 24:泭

National Champion Speaker in Public Forum Debate

Anja Waugh 25:泭

Fourth Place Public Forum Speaker泭

National Runner-up in Open Public Forum Debate: Ryan Corcoran 25 & Abby Fry 25

Junior Varsity Public Forum Debate:

National Runner-up: Zach Harnden 26 & Maddux Stout 25

Junior Varsity Parliamentary Debate

National-Runner-up: Gracie Crow 26 & Maggie Fitzpatrick 25

Public Forum Debate Varsity

Semi-finalists: Anja Waugh 25 & Alyssa Beckwith 24

Varsity Parliamentary Debate

Octafinalists: Scott Krueger 24 & Teagan Townsend 25

Quarterfinalists: Kyle Werner 25 & Breanna Drahota 25