Bowling Green, Ky. - Western Kentucky University's speech and debate team has continued its winning ways in tournaments this month.

Members of the WKU Forensics Team won both portions of the Mt. San Antonio Community College (Mt. SACC)/University of California-Long Beach "Back to the Beach" Swing Jan. 15-16, while the WKU debate squad took first place in tournaments the past two weekends.

The debaters captured three of four semifinalist spots on their way to first place in debate sweepstakes at the United States Air Force Academy (USAFA) Invitational in Colorado Springs, Colo. The team also took fourth place in combined debate/individual events sweepstakes at the Jan. 22-23 tournament.

On Jan. 14-16, WKU debaters captured the first-place sweepstakes title at the University of Missouri-Columbia Invitational.

Individual results from the USAFA Invitational are as follows:

Justin Cress, a Florence junior, co-tournament champion in Lincoln-Douglas debate, double octofinalist in parliamentary debate (with partner Jennifer Corum).

Jennifer Purcell, a senior from Lewisville, Texas, co-tournament champion in Lincoln-Douglas debate.

Joelle Perry, a Florence sophomore, co-tournament champion in Lincoln-Douglas debate.

Nicole Hawk, an Upton junior, third in extemporaneous speaking, fifth in impromptu speaking, 20th speaker in parliamentary debate, double octofinalist in parliamentary debate (with partner Logan Scisco).

Logan Scisco, a Danville freshman, sixth in impromptu speaking, double octofinalist in parliamentary debate.

Hannah Reliford, a Georgetown senior, octofinalist in Lincoln-Douglas debate.

Jordon Wadlington, an Eddyville junior, octofinalist in Lincoln-Douglas debate.

Chad Meadows, an Owensboro freshman, octofinalist in Lincoln-Douglas debate.

Jennifer Corum, an Auburn senior, double octofinalist in parliamentary debate (with partner Justin Cress).

Individual results from the Mt. SACC/UC-Long Beach tournaments, where WKU finished ahead of Oklahoma and San Francisco State, are as follows:

Rebecca Simms, a Lebanon senior, fourth in prose interpretation, fifth in poetry interpretation in the Mt. SACC portion; tournament champion in prose interpretation, tournament champion in after dinner speaking, second in poetry interpretation in the Long Beach portion.

Lydia Nelson, a sophomore from Carver, Mass., second in informative speaking, third in impromptu speaking, third in after dinner speaking, fifth in communication analysis in the Mt. SACC portion; tournament champion in informative speaking, third in after dinner speaking, sixth in communication analysis in the Long Beach portion.

Nick Romerhausen, a junior from Evansville, Ind., tournament champion in informative speaking, third in extemporaneous speaking, sixth in impromptu speaking, sixth in after dinner speaking in the Mt. SACC portion; second in extemporaneous speaking, third in impromptu speaking, fourth in informative speaking in the Long Beach portion.

Elizabeth Au, a senior from Evansville, Ind., fifth in programmed oral interpretation in the Mt. SACC portion; tournament champion in programmed oral interpretation, fourth in prose interpretation in the Long Beach portion.

Courtney Wright, a junior from Evansville, Ind., tournament champion in poetry interpretation, fourth in impromptu speaking, fifth in informative speaking in the Mt. SACC portion.

Saeed Jones, a freshman from Lewisville, Texas, second in programmed oral interpretation, sixth in dramatic interpretation in the Mt. SACC portion; third in dramatic interpretation, fourth in programmed oral interpretation, fifth in after dinner speaking in the Long Beach portion.

Grace Bruenderman, a Lexington junior, fourth in extemporaneous speaking in the Mt. SACC portion; second in persuasive speaking, fourth in impromptu speaking in the Long Beach portion.

Melissa Messer, a San Antonio sophomore, fourth in communication analysis, fifth in persuasive speaking in the Mt. SACC portion; fourth in persuasive speaking in the Long Beach portion.

Caitlin Drance, a Florence freshman, fourth in dramatic interpretation, sixth in poetry interpretation in the Mt. SACC portion; fourth in poetry interpretation in the Long Beach portion.

Adam Huegel, a freshman from Rosenberg, Texas, fifth in extemporaneous speaking, sixth in persuasive speaking in the Mt. SACC portion; sixth in extemporaneous speaking in the Long Beach portion.

Adam Henze, a senior from Evansville, Ind., third in poetry interpretation, fifth in informative speaking in the Long Beach portion.

Ryan Howell, a junior from Plymouth, Ind., third in informative speaking, seventh in after dinner speaking in the Mt. SACC portion.

Individual results from the University of Missouri-Columbia Invitational are as follows:

Joelle Perry, a Florence sophomore, round robin tournament champion, semifinalist in the Sunday tournament, quarterfinalist in the Saturday invitational.

Hannah Reliford, a Georgetown senior, co-tournament champion for the Saturday invitational, semifinalist in the Sunday tournament.

Jennifer Corum, an Auburn senior, co-tournament champion for the Saturday invitational.

Jennifer Purcell, a senior from Lewisville, Texas, top speaker, third in the round robin, semifinalist in the Saturday invitational.

Nicole Hawk, an Upton junior, quarterfinalist in the Sunday tournament.

Ashley Burgdorf, a freshman from Evansville, Ind., quarterfinalist in the Saturday invitational.

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.

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