September 21, 2007
Bowling
Green, Ky. - Western Kentucky University and Ohio University are teaming up for a speech and debate tournament next weekend.
About 30 teams from the United States are expected to compete in debate and individual events during the WKU/Ohio University Forensics Fiesta on Sept. 28-30.
“Hosting swing tournaments helps build friendships among colleges, teams and coaches,” said Judy Woodring, director of WKU’s award-winning forensic program.
In February, WKU will host the Southern Comfort Swing Tournament in collaboration with the University of Alabama. The schools alternate hosting the tournament each year.
The tournaments are among several outreach activities planned this year by the WKU forensic program, which houses a National Forensic League regional office.
On Nov. 1, WKU debaters will face the British Debate team at the Garrett Conference Center ballroom.
In December, as part of the Hilltopper Senior Classic, WKU will host a workshop for coaches.
WKU’s NFL Regional Office, directed by Chris Joffrion, is assisting coaches by producing “Curriculum Corner,” a column in the NFL magazine that provides information on using forensics in the classroom.
WKU also serves as a sponsor of the NFL’s national tournament and provides scholarships for winners. The sponsorship along with the team’s continued national and international success has helped Woodring recruit students from all across the United States.
The 2007-08 forensic team includes students from Kentucky, Tennessee, Indiana, Illinois, Texas, South Carolina, Kansas, California, Washington, Georgia, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Arkansas, Louisiana and Nevada.
“We’ve got a great group of recruits this year including five national high school champions as well as 11 of the nation’s top junior college or transfer students,” Woodring said.
In 2006-07, the team again swept the major international and national speech and debate titles. WKU won its sixth National Forensic Association National Tournament championship in debate, its fourth NFA national title in individual events, its fourth American Forensic Association National Individual Events Tournament in five years, its eighth International Forensic Association title, the National Parliamentary Debate Association National Tournament and its 17th consecutive Kentucky Forensic Association championship.
The team opened its 2007-08 season earlier this month with the overall title at Purdue University’s Boilermaker Invitational.
More information on the WKU Forensic Team is available online at www.wku.edu/forensics/
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.
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