Speech & Debate Team Wins Big at Two Recent Tournaments
McKendree Students Bring Home Four Firsts, 23 Total Awards
Lebanon, Ill. — The McKendree University debate and individual events team brought
home four first place finishes and 23 total awards from two tournaments last weekend.
Eight colleges and universities participated at Loyola University, including Purdue
and the University of Miami. Representing McKendree were juniors Lucas Barker, Trent
Boyer, Alex Cunningham, Sarah DeBruyckere, Miriah McCaffrey, Brent Nicholson and Amanda
Walker, as well as first-year student Shelby Majewski.
At the first tournament, the team of Barker and DeBruyckere posted a 3-2 record. After
defeating Carthage College in quarterfinals, they proceeded to beat Wheaton College
in semifinals and finals to win the tournament. The team of Cunningham and Nicholson
went 4-1 in prelims and finished as quarterfinalists. Nicholson was the third best
speaker in the open division, while Barker and DeBruyckere were fourth and eighth,
respectively. Walker was the first place novice speaker.
At the second tournament, Cunningham and Nicholson went 3-2. After defeating Carthage
College in quarterfinals, they beat Loyola University in semifinals and Wheaton College
in finals to win the tournament. Barker and DeBruyckere posted a 4-1 record and finished
as quarterfinalists. The novice team of Majewski and Walker finished 4-1 and were
semifinalists, while the novice team of Boyer and McCaffrey went 3-2 and finished
as quarterfinalists. Nicholson was the third best speaker in the open division, while
Barker, DeBruyckere, and Cunningham took fourth, eighth and ninth, respectively. Walker
was the fourth place novice speaker.
Sixteen colleges and universities competed at Southwest Baptist University, including
the University of Oklahoma and the University of Central Missouri. Representing McKendree
were seniors Lance Allen and Darren Meeker; juniors Josh Fleming and Caitlyn Westfall;
and sophomores Rebecca Blake and Spencer Marcum.
Allen took first place in impromptu speaking, after taking second and first in preliminary
rounds. He placed second in extemporaneous speaking and third in informative speaking.
Fleming and Marcum took second place in duo, taking second and first prelims. Marcum
also placed third in programmed oral interpretation and fourth in individual sweepstakes.
Blake and Meeker took fifth in duo interpretation. As a squad, McKendree tied for
third in program sweepstakes.
McKendree will compete at Illinois State University’s 74 Swing on Oct. 7.
McKendree individual events team members Spencer Marcum, Lance Allen, Josh Fleming, Caitlyn Westfall, Rebecca Blake and Darren Meeker.
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