WKU Forensic Team Repeats
Sweep, Adds Another Milestone

April 21, 2004

Bowling Green, Ky. - Western Kentucky University's forensic team repeated a sweep of major titles and added another historic feat by claiming the debate and individual events titles at this week's National Forensic Association tournament.

Western's William E. Bivin Forensic Society became the first team in the NFA's 34-year history to win both the individual events sweepstakes and debate sweepstakes. Earlier this year, Western repeated as champion of the International Forensics Association and American Forensics Association tournaments.

"I'm so proud of this group of students and coaches," said Judy Woodring, forensic director. "We began in August with the goal of not only repeating our sweep from the past year but to accomplish something that no other team has done -- win both debate and individual sweepstakes in the same year."

Western won the individual events title with 509 points followed by Illinois State with 475, Bradley with 426, Arizona State with 308 and Eastern Michigan with 222. In debate competition, Western finished first with 95 points followed by Creighton with 70, Lafayette College with 58, Truman State with 52 and Central Michigan with 48.

The April 15-19 tournament in Macomb, Ill., had entries from 87 universities.

"It was a brilliant team effort," Woodring said. "We were also inspired by the fact that one of our varsity debaters had a death in the family and had to leave an hour after arrival. The team knew that if they lost, she would feel personally responsible. They were motivated to win and win they did."

In the debate tournament, Stacy Bernaugh, a senior from Seaside, Calif., was national runner-up while Jennifer Purcell, a junior from Lewisville, Texas, placed third in the nation. Bernaugh was second in pentathlon and second place overall outstanding speaker. Purcell was elected as the national student representative for Lincoln-Douglas Debate.

Other members of the national champion debate team, which posted 37 wins in the six preliminary rounds at NFA, are: Joelle Perry, a Florence freshman; Jordon Wadlington, an Eddyville sophomore; Alex Rogers, a junior from Leawood, Kan.; Hannah Reliford, a Georgetown junior; Nicole Hawk, an Upton sophomore; Justin Cress, a Florence sophomore; Jenny Corum, an Auburn junior; and Chris Hagins, a senior from Summerfield, Fla.

Caleb Williams, a junior from Lewisville, Texas, was national champion in informative speaking and placed fourth in individual sweepstakes out of 1,400 entries.

"Forensics isn't about winning trophies but about learning skills that will help one be successful after graduation such as time management, handling stress, thinking on one's feet, dealing with criticism, conflict resolution and endurance," Woodring said.

Western had 45 entries qualify for quarterfinal rounds. Other outstanding performances in individual events include the following:

Lydia Nelson, a freshman from Carver, Mass., third in after-dinner speaking, fourth in informative speaking.

Junior Adam Henze and sophomore Courtney Wright, both of Evansville, Ind., fourth in duo interpretation. Wright was 14th in individual sweepstakes and Henze finished sixth in prose interpretation.

Kate Hertweck, a junior from Evansville, Ind., sixth in extemporaneous speaking.

Ryan Howell, a sophomore from Plymouth, Ind., fifth in poetry interpretation.

Chris Brasfield, a sophomore from Spring Hill, Tenn., sixth 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.

-WKU-