Bowling Green, Ky. - Members of the Western Kentucky University Forensic Team concluded the first half of their season the weekend of Dec. 2-4 with both debate and individual events victories at the Ohio University/Otterbein College Swing Tournament in Athens, Ohio.

WKU debaters won the Lincoln-Douglas debate title at both tournaments in addition to fielding half of the elimination rounds brackets. Despite a small individual events entry, WKU placed first in both tournaments. In combined debate/individual events sweepstakes, WKU took first ahead of Florida and Illinois State.

Individual results for the Ohio/Otterbein Swing:

Saeed Jones, a sophomore from Lewisville, Texas, tournament champion in impromptu speaking, second in after dinner speaking, third in duo interpretation (with partner Ashley Litsey), fourth in persuasive speaking in the Ohio portion; tournament champion in after dinner speaking, tournament champion in persuasive speaking, third in duo interpretation (with Litsey) in the Otterbein portion.

Joelle Perry, a Florence junior, tournament champion in extemporaneous speaking, second in Lincoln-Douglas debate, fifth speaker in Lincoln-Douglas debate in the Ohio portion; tournament champion in Lincoln-Douglas debate, second in impromptu speaking in the Otterbein portion.

Megan Schrader, a freshman from Lowell, Ark., tournament champion in Lincoln-Douglas debate, top speaker in Lincoln-Douglas debate in the Ohio portion; second speaker in Lincoln-Douglas debate, octofinalist in Lincoln-Douglas debate in the Otterbein portion.

Grace Bruenderman, a Lexington senior, fifth in after dinner speaking, fifth in impromptu speaking, sixth in persuasive speaking in the Ohio portion; tournament champion in impromptu speaking, second in persuasive speaking, fourth in after dinner speaking in the Otterbein portion.

Ashley Brasfield, a Mayfield senior, second in dramatic interpretation, sixth in programmed oral interpretation in the Ohio portion; tournament champion in prose interpretation in the Otterbein portion.

Justin Cress, a Florence senior, fourth in impromptu speaking, quarterfinalist in Lincoln-Douglas debate in the Ohio portion; third in impromptu speaking, fourth speaker in Lincoln-Douglas debate, fifth in extemporaneous speaking, octofinalist in Lincoln-Douglas debate in the Otterbein portion.

Ashley Litsey, a Hodgenville freshman, second in informative speaking, third in duo interpretation (with partner Saeed Jones) in the Ohio portion; second in informative speaking, third in duo interpretation (with Jones) in the Otterbein portion.

Nicole Hawk, an Upton senior, third in extemporaneous speaking, third in impromptu speaking, octofinalist in Lincoln-Douglas debate in the Ohio portion; fourth in extemporaneous speaking in the Otterbein portion.

Lauren Nelson, a freshman from Wheaton, Ill., semifinalist in Lincoln-Douglas debate in the Ohio portion; fourth in impromptu speaking, fifth speaker in Lincoln-Douglas debate, octofinalist in Lincoln-Douglas debate in the Otterbein portion.

Brian Bloss, a freshman from Coppell, Texas, quarterfinalist in Lincoln-Douglas debate in the Ohio portion; octofinalist in Lincoln-Douglas debate in the Otterbein portion.

Ashley Burgdorf, a sophomore from Evansville, Ind., semifinalist in Lincoln-Douglas debate in the Otterbein portion.

Rachel Mosley, a freshman from Verdi, Nev., octofinalist in Lincoln-Douglas debate in the Ohio portion.

More WKU news is available at www.wku.edu. If you’d like to receive WKU news via e-mail, send a message to WKUNews@wku.edu.

For information, contact Judy Woodring at (270) 745-6340.