McKendree Speech and Debate Team Wins 49 Awards
In 10th Place Heading into Nationals
(LEBANON, Ill., March 7, 2018) — The McKendree University Speech and Debate Team has attended four tournaments this spring, taking home 49 awards including eight
first place finishes. McKendree is currently in 10th place (of 141) in the National Parliamentary Debate Association program rankings
and has three teams highly ranked by the National Parliamentary Tournament of Excellence
(10th, 53rd and 60th of 685). In addition, McKendree has qualified nine events for competition at the
American Forensic Association National Individual Events Tournament.
Thirty-seven colleges and universities, including Purdue University, the University
of Illinois, and Lafayette College, attended Webster University’s speech and debate
tournament on Jan. 26-28. Representing McKendree were seniors Beth Graham, Kaitlyn
Hutchison and Emma Webster; juniors Justin Fausz, Adeja Powell, Aliyah Smith and Andrew
Wagner; sophomores Grace Alexander, Haylee Christ, Kate Maag, Lyndellia Mannie and
Isa Scaturro; and first-years Mitch Deleel, John Hilmes, Aaron Mattoon and Rebecca
Postula.
In individual events, Wagner and Webster won first place in duo, while Wagner won
individual sweepstakes after finishing third and sixth in informative and impromptu
speaking, respectively. Webster also took third place in communication analysis and
fourth place in duo with Smith. Additionally, Smith finished third in programmed oral
interpretation, while also taking third in duo improv with Scaturro. Alexander finished
in sixth place in after dinner speaking. In debate, Graham and Mattoon posted a 3-2
record and finished as quarterfinalists after defeating the University of Oklahoma
in octofinals. Powell was recognized as the 13th speaker in debate.
Thirteen colleges and universities, including the University of California at Berkeley,
Rice University, and the University of Minnesota, attended the University of Missouri’s
debate tournament, Feb. 10-11. Representing McKendree were seniors Alex Baldwin, Beth
Graham and Gage Simmons; junior Adeja Powell; and first-years Mitch Deleel and Aaron
Mattoon.
Baldwin and Simmons posted a 5-2 record in prelims. After earning a bye, they defeated
William Jewell in octofinals to finish as quarterfinalists. They also won the I-70
Cup, finishing ahead of the University of California at Berkeley, which considers
performances at several Midwest tournaments. Deleel and Powell went 4-3 to finish
as octofinalists, after beating Rice University in the double octofinals. Baldwin
took fourth place speaker, while Simmons and Powell took sixth and 13th, respectively.
Nine colleges and universities, including the University of Alabama, Bradley University,
and Western Kentucky University, attended McKendree University’s spring speech tournament
Feb. 10-11. Representing McKendree were senior Emma Webster; juniors Justin Fausz,
Aliyah Smith and Andrew Wagner; sophomores Grace Alexander, Kate Maag, Lyndellia Mannie
and Isa Scaturro; and first-year Rebecca Postula.
At the first half, Alexander placed second in impromptu speaking and fifth in after
dinner speaking, finishing in third place in individual sweepstakes. Scaturro took
third place in after dinner speaking, while Maag placed fifth in impromptu speaking.
Smith and Webster finished in fifth place in duo. At the second half, Wagner won impromptu,
while finishing second in extemporaneous speaking, fourth in informative speaking,
and first in individual sweepstakes. Webster took third place in communication analysis
and sixth place in drama. Maag placed fourth in poetry, while Alexander finished fifth
in impromptu. Mannie was the Top Novice in prose, poetry and programmed oral interpretation.
Thirteen colleges and universities, including the University of Minnesota, Missouri
State University, and Illinois State University, attended the Missouri state championships
hosted by Truman State University Feb. 16-17. Representing McKendree were senior Emma
Webster; juniors Justin Fausz, Adeja Powell, Aliyah Smith and Andrew Wagner; sophomores
Grace Alexander, Kate Maag, Lyndellia Mannie and Isa Scaturro; and first-years Mitch
Deleel and Rebecca Postula.
Webster won first place in communication analysis and fifth place in prose, while
placing third (with Wagner) and fourth (with Smith) in duo and finishing fifth in
individual sweepstakes. Smith won first place in programmed oral interpretation. Alexander
finished second and fourth in after dinner speaking and drama, respectively. Wagner
placed third in both extemporaneous and informative speaking, while Maag was also
third in poetry. In novice Lincoln-Douglas debate, Postula was the second place speaker,
while just missing the break to elims with a 2-2 record. McKendree finished third
in both individual events sweepstakes and limited entry debate sweepstakes, while
winning the traveling sweepstakes award.
McKendree will compete next at the following national tournaments:
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Pi Kappa Delta National Tournament hosted by Tennessee State University (Nashville, Tenn.), March 14-17
-
National Parliamentary Debate Association Championship Tournament, March 23-26 hosted by Lewis & Clark College (Portland, Ore.)
-
National Speech Championships hosted by the University of Nebraska (Lincoln, Neb.), March 24-25
-
National Parliamentary Tournament of Excellence hosted by Lewis & Clark College, March 28-31
-
National Forensic Association Championship Tournament hosted by the University of Wisconsin (Oshkosh, Wis.), April 19-23.
Debaters Alex Baldwin and Gage Simmons won the I-70 Cup, which considers performance at several Midwest tournaments.
Grace Alexander, Andrew Wagner, Isa Scaturro, Aliyah Smith, Kate Maag and Emma Webster competed at Webster University.
Competing at MAFA were Grace Alexander, Andrew Wagner, Kate Maag, Aliyah Smith, Emma Webster and Lyndellia Mannie.
At the University of Missouri debate tournament, front row, Beth Graham, Adeja Powell; back row, debate coach Joe Blasdel, Mitch Deleel, Alex Baldwin, Gage Simmons, Sarah DeBruyckere, Aaron Mattoon, Brent Nicholson and Zach Schneider.
-McK-
