WKU Wins International Forensic Championship Again

March 15, 2007

Bowling Green, Ky. - Western Kentucky University won its fifth consecutive International Forensic Association championship this week in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Seven WKU students won world championships in speech and debate events as WKU claimed its eighth IFA championship in nine years. (The team didn’t travel to 2002 IFA competition after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.)
In the team sweepstakes, WKU was followed by Glendale Community College and Azusa Pacific.

“The IFA was a really tough tournament,” said Judy Woodring, forensic director. “I really wasn’t expecting us to win again. If I could figure out what these kids have that makes them pull it all together and win, I would bottle it and sell it.”

The students benefit from the program’s tradition of success on the international and national stage, Woodring said. “I think students have to think like a winner,” she said. “Our students think beyond the regional school label and know they’re as good as any of the larger schools out there. I want them to think big, set high goals and work to reach them.”

The IFA title launches WKU’s bid to repeat as champion in major international and national speech and debate tournaments.

WKU will be seeking a repeat as national champions at the American Forensic Association National Individual Events Tournament on April 6-9 at Minnesota State in Mankato, Minn., and at the National Forensic Association National Tournament on April 19-23 at Berry College in Rome, Ga.

WKU debaters will compete at National Parliamentary Tournament of Excellence this weekend (March 17-18) at the University of Wyoming and the National Parliamentary Debate Association tournament on March 22-25 at Colorado College.

Individual results from the IFA are as follows:

Saeed Jones, a junior from Lewisville, Texas, world champion in persuasive speaking, world champion in after-dinner speaking, second in impromptu speaking, second in parliamentary debate (with Barry Fields), third in duo interpretation (with Rachel Wigginton).

Natalie Sintek, a junior from Eagan, Minn., world champion in informative speaking, world champion in programmed oral interpretation, world co-champion in Lincoln-Douglas debate, second in prose interpretation, third in persuasive speaking.

Jessica Furgerson, a freshman from San Antonio, Texas, world co-champion in Lincoln-Douglas debate, third in informative speaking, fourth in impromptu speaking.

Rachel Wigginton, a sophomore from Glendale, world champion in duo interpretation (with Ben Pyle), third in duo interpretation (with Saeed Jones), third in parliamentary debate (with Ben Pyle) fourth in persuasive speaking, fifth in poetry interpretation.

Micah Mason, a sophomore from Desoto, Texas, world champion in poetry interpretation, second in informative speaking, third in programmed oral interpretation, sixth in prose interpretation.

Benjamin Pyle, a junior from Harrisburg, Ill., world champion in duo interpretation (with Rachel Wigginton), third in parliamentary debate (with Rachel Wigginton), fourth in poetry interpretation.

Lydia Nelson, a senior from Carver, Mass., world champion in prose interpretation, fifth in after-dinner speaking, fifth in parliamentary debate (with Beth Berger), sixth in impromptu speaking.

Barry Fields, a senior from Bowling Green, second in historical Argentinean informative speaking, second in parliamentary debate (with Saeed Jones), third in after-dinner speaking, fifth in impromptu speaking,.

Beth Berger, a junior from Lexington, fifth in informative speaking, fifth in parliamentary debate (with Lydia Nelson).

Nick Courtney, a sophomore from Morristown, Tenn., third in poetry interpretation

More information on the IFA is available online at http://www.brookdale.cc.nj.us/staff/forensics/index.html
(A news release on WKU’s upcoming tournaments is available online at http://www.wku.edu/news/releases07/march/formajor.html)
               
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.