WKU Forensic Team Wins
AFA National Tournament
April 07, 2004
Bowling Green, Ky. - Western Kentucky University's forensic team is one step closer to repeating a sweep of international and national championships.
The William E. Bivin Forensic Society captured the national title this week at the American Forensic Association National Individual Events Tournament. WKU defended its AFA title with 336.5 points followed by Illinois State with 292.5, Alabama with 270, George Mason with 268 and Bradley with 268.
The April 3-5 competition at California State University-Long Beach was the largest AFA national tournament with more than 1,700 entries from the 212 teams in attendance.
"The credit for this championship goes to our extremely solid team," said Judy Woodring, forensic director. "The points we accumulated in the preliminary rounds helped give us the 44-point edge to win the most competitive tournament ever."
Two WKU team members placed in the individual sweepstakes competition with Evelio Silvera 14th and Caleb Williams 20th. Western also placed 22 entries in quarterfinals, 11 entries in semifinals and eight entries in finals.
Western, which swept the major speech and debate competitions in 2003, was viewed as the team to beat at the AFA tournament, Woodring said."Now I know what it's like not to be the underdog school," she said.
"I'm so thankful that we were able to put the name Western Kentucky at the top of the 212 schools competing there," Woodring said. "That speaks highly of our university, our state and our faculty because forensic team members come from all majors on this campus."
Last month, Western won its fifth International Forensics Association championship. Next up for the WKU forensic team is the National Forensic Association National Tournament April 15-19 at Western Illinois University.
The team's goal at NFA is to win individual events and debate championships. No school has won both titles in the same year, Woodring said.
"I believe in dreaming big, but you have to work hard to achieve those dreams," she said.
The following competitors placed in their events at the AFA tournament:
Evelio Silvera, a senior from Fort Myers, Fla., sixth in extemporaneous speaking, semifinalist in communication analysis, quarterfinalist in persuasive speaking.
Caleb Williams, a junior from Lewisville, Texas, third in informative speaking, sixth in impromptu speaking.
Armando Martinez, a freshman from Glendale, Ariz., and Jacob Peregoy, a junior from Evansville, Ind., second in duo interpretation.
Nicole Hawk, an Upton sophomore, fourth in extemporaneous speaking.
Adam Henze, a junior from Evansville, Ind., and Courtney Wright, a sophomore from Evansville, Ind., fourth in duo interpretation.
Rebecca Simms, a Lebanon junior, fifth in persuasive speaking, quarterfinalist in programmed oral interpretation.
Lydia Nelson, a freshman from Carver, Mass., sixth in informative speaking, quarterfinalist in after-dinner speaking.
Stacy Bernaugh, a senior from Seaside, Calif., semifinalist in impromptu speaking.
Joelle Perry, a Florence freshman, semifinalist in impromptu speaking.
Chris Brasfield, a sophomore from Spring Hill, Tenn., quarterfinalist in poetry interpretation, quarterfinalist in programmed oral interpretation.
Elizabeth Au, a junior from Evansville, Ind., quarterfinalist in after-dinner speaking.
Grace Bruenderman, a Lexington sophomore, quarterfinalist in impromptu speaking.
Justin Cress, a Florence sophomore, quarterfinalist in extemporaneous speaking.
Nicole Estenfelder, a Florence junior, and Ashley Mack, a freshman from Mesa, Ariz., quarterfinalists in duo interpretation.
Kate Hertweck, a junior from Evansville, Ind., quarterfinalist in impromptu speaking.
Lindsey Nave, a senior from Harrisburg, Ill., quarterfinalist in poetry interpretation.
For more information, contact Judy Woodring, forensics director, at (270) 745-6340. More WKU news is available on the World Wide Web at www.wku.edu. If you'd like to receive WKU news via E-mail, send a message to WKUNews@wku.edu.
