April 09, 2008
Bowling
Green, Ky. - With a record-breaking performance by senior Natalie Sintek, Western Kentucky University’s forensic team won the American Forensic Association National Individual Events Tournament last weekend.
WKU swept the tournament sweepstakes to win its fifth AFA national championship in the past six years. The April 4-7 tournament in Austin, Texas, attracted participants from 93 schools.
Sintek of Eagan, Minn., was named to the AFA 2008 All American Team, acknowledging her forensics talent, academic achievement and community involvement. She also broke a number of AFA records this year by attaining the most AFA final rounds in a career and by advancing to final rounds at AFA in the most events in a single year (six, which were all of her events). The previous record of five was held by a student from Bradley University.
Senior Saeed Jones of Lewisville, Texas, was the national champion in impromptu speaking.
WKU also broke a team record for success in an event by advancing all seven competitors to the semifinal round in duo interpretation. WKU, which had seven of the top 12 placements in the event, then advanced the most duo interpretation teams to the final round with four of the six finalists.
In the sweepstakes results, WKU placed first with 475 points followed by Bradley University with 413.5, University of Texas at Austin with 341.5, Kansas State University with 312, George Mason University with 293, University of Alabama with 245.5, Arizona State University with 224.5, California State University, Long Beach with 208.5, University of Nebraska at Lincoln with 198.5 and Illinois State University with 182.5. The tournament attracted participants from 93 schools.
With the AFA championship, WKU moved one step closer to another sweep of major national and international titles. In March, WKU won its ninth International Forensic Association championship in 10 years and the National Parliamentary Debate Association National Tournament.
The team will wrap up the 2007-08 season April 17-21 at the National Forensic Association National Tournament in Nashville, Tenn. Last year, WKU won its sixth NFA championship in debate and its fourth NFA title in individual events.
Individual results from the AFA National Individual Events Tournament are as follows:
Natalie Sintek, a senior from Eagan, Minn., second in individual sweepstakes, second in programmed oral interpretation, fourth in poetry interpretation, fourth in prose interpretation, fourth in duo interpretation (with
Joele Denis), fifth in after-dinner speaking and fifth in informative speaking.
Saeed Jones, a senior from Lewisville, Texas, national champion in impromptu speaking, third in duo interpretation (with Ben Unanaowo), 11th in individual sweepstakes and quarterfinalist in persuasive speaking.
Joele Denis, a junior from Hollywood, Fla., fourth in duo interpretation (with Natalie Sintek), fourth in dramatic interpretation and fifth in programmed oral interpretation.
Maggie Waid, a senior from Symsonia, second in duo interpretation (with Ben Pyle), semifinalist in dramatic interpretation and quarterfinalist in poetry interpretation.
Ben Unanaowo, a senior from Union City, Calif., third in duo interpretation (with Saeed Jones) and third in poetry interpretation.
Jessica Furgerson, a sophomore from San Antonio, Texas, fifth in impromptu speaking and sixth in extemporaneous speaking
Daniel Johnson, a sophomore from Independence, Mo., sixth in duo interpretation (with Adam Swanson), sixth in dramatic interpretation and quarterfinalist in poetry interpretation.
Ben Pyle, a senior from Harrisburg, Ill., second in duo interpretation (with Maggie Waid), semifinalist in duo interpretation (with Rachel Wigginton) and quarterfinalist in communication analysis.
Adam Swanson, a sophomore from Rosemount, Minn., sixth in duo interpretation (with Daniel Johnson).
Cornelius Lee, a junior from Killeen, Texas, semifinalist in duo interpretation (with J.D. VanSlyke) and semifinalist in duo interpretation (with Jeffrey Boggess).
J.D. VanSlyke, a junior from Wylie, Texas, semifinalist in duo interpretation (with Cornelius Lee) and quarterfinalist in dramatic interpretation.
Rachel Wigginton, a junior from Glendale, semifinalist in duo interpretation (with Ben Pyle) and quarterfinalist in communication analysis.
Jeffrey Boggess, a sophomore from Hayward, Calif., semifinalist in duo interpretation (with Cornelius Lee).
Seth Peckham, a sophomore from Alden, Kan., quarterfinalist in impromptu speaking and quarterfinalist in extemporaneous speaking.
Beth Berger, a senior from Lexington, quarterfinalist in prose interpretation.
Carrie Guggenmos, a sophomore from Fullerton, Calif., quarterfinalist in communication analysis.
Samantha Harrison, a sophomore from Carrollton, Texas, quarterfinalist in communication analysis.
Lauren Nelson, a junior from Wheaton, Ill., quarterfinalist in impromptu speaking.
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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