SBU Speaking Bearcats finish in Top 5 at national tournament

BOLIVAR, Mo. — Southwest Baptist University’s Speaking Bearcats finished in the top 5 at the Pi Kappa Delta National Tournament and Convention held March 14-17, 2018, at Tennessee State University, in Nashville, Tenn.

SBU faced off against competition from 85 other colleges and universities representing more than 30 states, finishing second in the open debate sweepstakes, sixth in open individual event sweepstakes and fifth in overall open sweepstakes.

In parliamentary debate, juniors Andrew DeShon (Lee’s Summit, Mo.) and Mikayla Throne (Springfield, Mo.) finished the tournament as octofinalists (top 16). Throne was the third-place speaker in open parliamentary debate.

In public forum debate, junior Marisa Mayo (Springfield, Mo.) finished fourth. In international public debate, sophomore Mariah Gilmore (Springfield, Mo.), sophomore Jeffrey Metzler (Minneapolis, Kan.) and freshman Jordan Martin (Grain Valley, Mo.) all reached the octofinals (top 16). In debate speaking awards, Martin was second in IPDA, and Metzler was third.

In speech events, the team had a number of impressive results:

• Reece Tabor, senior (Springfield, Mo.), was a semifinalist (top 12 in the nation) in informative speaking, a quarterfinalist (top 24 in the nation) in persuasive speaking and editorial impromptu. He also was 24^th in interviewing.

• Tiana Brownen, senior (Seneca, Mo.), earned fifth place in persuasive speaking, sixth place in extemporaneous speaking and was a semifinalist (top 12) in communication analysis. She also was a quarterfinalist (top 24) in impromptu speaking.

• Kensey Dressler, senior (Kansas City, Mo.), won fifth place in interviewing. She was a semifinalist (top 12) in impromptu and a quarterfinalist (top 24) in editorial impromptu. She also received Excellent Awards (top 40 percent) in both communication analysis and extemporaneous speaking. Dressler’s strong results enabled her to finish ninth in the speech pentathlon competition.

• Andrew DeShon won fourth place in extemporaneous commentary in his first-ever national tournament.

• Marisa Mayo was a quarterfinalist (top 24) in after-dinner speaking, a semifinalist (top 12) in both extemporaneous and communication analysis and earned an Excellent Award (top 40 percent) in persuasive speaking.

• Mikayla Throne earned an Excellent Award (top 40 percent) in program of oral interpretation.

• Jeffrey Metzler earned an Excellent Award (top 40 percent) in interviewing.

• Katelyn Bloom, freshman (Bloomsdale, Mo.), won 16^th place in interviewing.

• Jordan Martin won Excellent Awards (top 40 percent) in dramatic interpretation, prose, interviewing and program of oral interpretation.

• Breanna Prater, freshman (Abilene, Kan.), won an Excellent Award (top 40 percent) in interviewing. She also was a quarterfinalist (top 24) in impromptu and a semifinalist (top 12) in editorial impromptu.

This tournament marks the end of the 2017-2018 tournament competition for the team. Dr. David Bailey, director of forensics at SBU, said that this year’s team was special.

“This year’s team of Speaking Bearcats was an outstanding mix of talented young men and women,” Bailey said. “I’m very proud of them and thankful for the opportunity I’ve had to coach them.”

For more information on the SBU speech and debate program, please contact Bailey at dbailey@sbuniv.edu.

Cutline 1: The group poses with their sweepstakes trophies from the national tournament. Front row (left to right): Marisa Mayo, Tiana Brownen, Reece Tabor, Kensey Slone Dressler and Mariah Gilmore. Back row (left to right): Jeffrey Metzler, Dr. David Bailey, Mikayla Throne, Sam Carr, Andrew DeShon, Yani McHugh, Breanna Prater, Katelyn Bloom and Mr. Jordan Compton.

Cutline 2: Freshman Jordan Martin poses with one of the group’s many trophies from the PKD nationals.

 

*Published: 4-6-18