UK Forensics is Victorious at Transylvania University

LEXINGTON, KY. (Jan. 13, 2017) — The University of Kentucky Forensics Team finished the fall semester with another win at the WYRD Invitational hosted by Transylvania University. The team placed first in combined sweepstakes which takes the cumulative score of all public speaking events and debate entries. This is the third year in a row that UK has won this competition. Of the 47 speeches and debate teams entered in the tournament, 39 advanced to an elimination round and were recognized at the final awards ceremony.

Individual team members also achieved a number of impressive honors. Four students placed in the individual sweepstakes competition which totals the scores from all of their public speaking events. Sophomore Matthew Karijolic was crowned tournament champion by placing first in this category. Junior Kaylon Kennedy placed fourth, junior Rachel Brase placed fifth and freshman Laura McAllister placed sixth in the category. Karijolic also earned the special Taylor Deaton Award for the most points accumulated by an individual competitor across the public speaking and debate competitions, a first for a competitor from UK.

Read the full list of awards UK students earned at the tournament here.

The UK Forensics Team is committed to training the next generation of civic leaders who are passionate about effecting change in their communities. To foster these skills, the team takes part in competitions throughout the southeast region of the United States. The team’s next competition will be the Bulldog Battle speech and debate tournament held Jan. 14-15, at Butler University in Indianapolis, Indiana.

UK Forensics is a student organization in the School of Information Science in the College of Communication and Information. The team regularly competes in 12 public speaking events and three forms of debate. To find out more, please visit the team’s website www.ukforensics.com.