WKU News

WKU Forensics team members competed at the Kentucky Forensics Association tournament. Back row (from left): Elizabeth Allen, Tess Segal, Ameya Puranik, Jade Ismail, Somtoo Nkurumeh, Victory Okoroji, Aly Johnson, Chase Shockley, JaKayla Brown, Josh St. Peter, Nik Schintgen; middle row (from left): Sophie Todaro, Fadé Akinbayo, Aquilla Dunn, Finn Larson; front row (from left): Kirsten Eversmann, Sydney Rettig, Hayden Johnson, Ryder Hebert, Kilian Reck, Joie Willoughby, Mia Carver

WKU Forensics clinched the top spot at the 2026 Kentucky Forensics Association hosted by Murray State University on February 6-8.  
 
This year's Kentucky Forensics Association retained the format developed for the 2025 season. Murray State University, which traditionally hosts their tournament at the Jackson Purchase in February, added awards for the Kentucky Forensics Association state championship to their tournament. Schools from other states were eligible to compete at the tournament, but the top finisher from the state of Kentucky took home the State Championship.
 
Students from WKU Forensics won the state championship in all 14 varsity events across speech and debate. Somtoo Nkurumeh of Moore, Oklahoma, won Quadrathon, an award for accumulating the most points in individual events. Senior Amerya Puranik of Mountain House, California, was recognized as the State Champion in Varsity IPDA debate and earned the Harlan Hamm Award, an award given to students for their leadership and excellence both in competition and in their academic endeavors and community service. 
 
WKU won first place in KFA the large school individual events sweepstakes and was named the Kentucky Forensics Association Grand Champion for the 33rd consecutive year, an unparalleled record of excellence in state competition.
 
The following students won Kentucky State Championships:

• Fadé Akinbayo of Houston, Texas: After Dinner Speaking
• Tess Segal of Weston, Florida: Communication Analysis and Persuasive Speaking
• Mia Carver of Moorehead, Kentucky:  Dramatic Interpretation
• Somtoo Nkurumeh of Moore, Oklahoma and Houston, Texas: Duo Interpretation, Program Oral Interpretation, and Prose Interpretation
• Victory Okoroji of Houston,Texas: Duo Interpretation
• Aly Johnson of Willmar, Minnesota: Extemporaneous Speaking and Impromptu Speaking
• Ameya Puranik of Mountain House, California: Varsity International Public Debate  
• Jade Ismail of Lafayette, Louisiana: Informative Speaking
• JaKayala Brown of Kansas City, Kansas: Poetry Interpretation

Results from the Jackson Purchase Part 1:

• After Dinner Speaking: Fadé Akinbayo, 1st; Sophie Todaro of St. Paul, Minnesota 5th.
• Communication Analysis: Tess Segal, 1st; Aquila Dunn 3rd; Fadé Akinbayo, 4th;
  Victory Okoroji, 5th.
• Dramatic Interpretation: Mia Carver 4th   
• Duo Interpretation:  Somtoo Nkurumeh/ Victory Okoroji 1st; Aquila Dunn/ Jade Ismail 3rd; Joie Willoughby/ Hayden Johnson 4th. 
• Extemporaneous Speaking: Aly Johnson 1st; Kilian Reck, 3rd; Ryder Hebert, 6th.
• Impromptu Speaking: Aly Johnson, 2nd; Kilian Reck, 3rd.
• Informative Speaking: Jade Ismail, 1st; Kirsten Eversmann 2nd; Ryder Hebert 4th; Joie Willoughby, 5th.
• IPDA Debate:  Ameya Puranik, Semifinals; JaKayla Brown, Octofinals.
• IPDA Speakers: Joshua St. Peter, 1st.
• Persuasive Speaking:  Tess Segal, 4th.
• Poetry Interpretation: JaKayla Brown, 1st; Hayden Johnson, 2nd.
• Program Oral Interpretation: Somtoo Nkurumeh, 1st; Finn Larson, 2nd; Elizabeth Allen, 4th; Sophie Todaro, 5.
• Prose Interpretation: Somtoo Nkurumeh, 1st; Jade Ismail, 2nd; Elizabeth Allen 3rd; Kirsten Eversmann 6th.
• Radio Broadcasting: Sydney Rettig, 5th; Elizabeth Allen, 7th.
• Quadrathon: Somtoo Nkurumeh, 1st.

Results from the Jackson Purchase Part 2:

• After Dinner Speaking:  Fadé Akinbayo, 1st; Kirsten Eversmann 6th.
• Communication Analysis: Aquila Dunn, 1st; Victory Okoroji, 2nd; Tess Segal, 3rd;  Fadé Akinbayo, 6th.
• Dramatic Interpretation: Fade Akibayo, 1st; Mia Carver, 2nd; Aquila Dunn, 3rd; Finn Larson, 4th; Joie Willoughby, 5th.
• Duo Interpretation: Somtoo Nkurumeh/ Victory Okoroji 1st; Aquila Dunn/ Jade Ismail, 2nd; Joie Willoughby/ Hayden Johnson, 4th.
• Editorial Impromtu Speaking: Ryder Hebert, 1st.
• Impromptu Speaking: Kilian Reck, 2nd; Sophie Todaro, 3rd; Aly Johnson, 4th.
• Informative Speaking:  Kirsten Eversmann, 1st; Jade Ismail, 2nd; Ryder Hebert, 3rd; Nike Schintgen, 4th; Sophie Todaro, 5th.
• Persuasive Speaking: Tess Segal, 3rd.
• Poetry Interpretation: JaKayla Brown, 1st; Hayden Johnson, 2nd.
• Program Oral Interpretation: Somtoo Nkurumeh, 1st; Finn Larson, 2nd; Elizabeth Allen, 4th; Sophie Todaro, 5.
• Prose Interpretation: Jade Ismail, 1st; Joie Willoughby, 2nd; Somtoo Nkurumeh, 3rd; Elizabeth Allen 4th; Kirsten Eversmann 5th.
• Radio Broadcasting: Somtoo Nkurumeh, 1st; Sydney Rettig, 6th.
• Quadrathon: Somtoo Nkurumeh, 1st; Fadé Akinbayo, 2; Joie Willoughby, 5th; Ryder Hebert, 6th. 
   

More: Check out the WKU Forensics Facebook page or follow @wkuforensics  and @DebateWku on X/Twitter.

Contact: Ganer Newman, (270) 745-6340        

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Western Kentucky University prides itself on positioning its students, faculty and staff for long term success. As a student-centered, applied research university, WKU helps students expand on classroom learning by integrating education with real-world applications in the communities we serve. Our hilltop campus is located in Bowling Green, Kentucky, which was recently named by Reader’s Digest as one of the nicest towns in America, just an hour’s drive from Nashville, Tennessee.