UK Places 10th at Pi Kappa Delta Nationals
LEXINGTON, Ky. (April 2, 2015) — Braving the winter weather and cold, University of Kentucky Forensics traveled to Athens, Ohio, to compete in the 49th annual Pi Kappa Delta National Tournament and Convention held at Ohio University. More than 70 schools from across the nation took part in 22 different public speaking and debate events. As one of the largest collegiate forensics gatherings in the country, Pi Kappa Delta nationals showcases some of the best undergraduate speakers in the country.
UK Forensics placed 10th in combined sweepstakes in this highly competitive environment. The category of combined sweepstakes sums the team’s points from both individual events and debate. The team also earned excellent ratings in each of those two categories separately. These awards are the first national recognitions for the 3-year-old squad. The team secretary and treasurer, Brynne Reilly, a sophomore, explained that the tournament was “tough and challenging, but completely worth it.” Freshmen Kaylon Kennedy added that “it was completely worth it” and that she is “so proud of the team.”
Pi Kappa Delta, the oldest forensics honorary for speech and debate competition has been continually operating since 1913. With the motto of “the art of persuasion, beautiful and just,” the organization seeks to promote public speaking and argumentation nationwide through intercollegiate competitions and other educational activities. UK has been selected as the host of the 2016 National Comprehensive Tournament which will take place on campus in March of next year.
In what proved to be an interesting turn of events, the first day of the tournament was canceled due to the winter weather that passed through the Ohio River valley the night before the tournament. UK Forensics took advantage of the extra day to relax, practice, and further prepare for competition. With 54 different speeches or debate teams between nine competitors, the team had a lot of speaking to ready themselves for over the course of the tournament. Even with all of the scheduling changes, the team kept focus on the goal of exceeding expectations.
Pi Kappa Delta recognizes competitors in a slightly different fashion than most other tournaments. Instead of awarding individual places, the tournament recognizes the top 10 percent in every event with a superior award, the next 20 percent with an excellent award and the following 20 percent with a good rating.
Members of the UK Forensics team earned the following commendations:
After Dinner Speaking
Excellent – Abel Rodriguez III
Good – Dianté Elcock
Broadcast Journalism
Excellent - Brynne Reilly
Good - Abel Rodriguez III
Discussion
Superior (5th Place) – Dianté Elcock
Extemporaneous Speaking
Excellent – Abel Rodriguez III
Good – Logan Hurley
Good – Brynne Reilly
Good – Ryan Winstead
Impromptu Speaking
Excellent – Rachel Brase
Excellent – Abel Rodriguez III
Good – Kaylon Kennedy
Good – Léna Touchard
Good – Ryan Winstead
Informative Speaking
Superior (3rd Place) – Logan Hurley
Interviewing
Excellent – Megan Wagner
Good – Dianté Elcock
Good – Ryan Winstead
IPDA Public Debate (Open Division)
Superior (2nd Place) – Abel Rodriguez III
Excellent (8th Place) – Logan Hurley
Lincoln-Douglas Debate (Junior Division)
Excellent (4th Place) – Brynne Reilly
Parliamentary Debate (Novice Division)
Superior (2nd Place) – Rachel Brase and Kaylon Kennedy
Good – Léna Touchard and Megan Wagner
Parliamentary Debate (Open Division)
Excellent (8th Place) – Brynne Reilly and Ryan Winstead
Persuasive Speaking
Good – Abel Rodriguez III
Poetry Interpretation
Good – Abel Rodriguez III
Program Oral Interpretation
Good – Dianté Elcock
Readers Theater
Good (6th Place) – Rachel Brase, Dianté Elcock, Kaylon Kennedy, and Megan Wagner
Student Congress
Excellent (10th Place) – Abel Rodriguez III
Excellent – Logan Hurley
Presiding Officer – Abel Rodriguez III
Presiding Officer – Logan Hurley
In addition to the nine student competitors, alumni Zach Shinall and Stephanie Winkler traveled with the team as judges. In the alumni showcase for public address events, Shinall placed 2nd and earned an excellent rating for his after dinner speech on the overuse of caffeine. The whole team also participated in multiple business meetings throughout the tournament and convention in preparation for hosting next year’s event.
UK Forensics is a student organization within the College of Communication and Information. The team competes in 12 different public speaking events and three forms of debate. To find out more, please contact Director of Forensics Timothy Bill at timothy.bill@uky.edu.
MEDIA CONTACT: Rebecca Stratton and Blair Hoover, (859) 323-2395; rebecca.stratton@uky.edu