DeKalb – The NIU Forensics Speech and Debate Club kicked off its competition season by winning third place in the four-year university division at the Applequist Speech and Debate Tournament hosted by Moraine Valley Community College Saturday in Palos Heights.
This finish marks the second consecutive year the team has earned third place at their first travel tournament of the season.
Founded in 1928, the forensics team brings students together who are interested in public speaking and debate at NIU.
Aside from their win as a team, there were also a number of individual successes that contributed to the overall third place finish including:
- AJ Evon: Tournament Champion in IPDA, top speaker in IPDA, second place DUO (with Ryan Umare), fourth place persuasion
- Logan Sperling: Fourth place DUO with Rocco Walsh, fifth place prose
- Makeya Van: Third CSI
- Sarah Larson: Sixth place poetry
- Ethan Montanez: Sixth place informative
- Blessing Coranez: Fifth place impromptu
- Noah Joerin: Sixth place extemporaneous
- Ryan Umare: Second place DUO with AJ Evon, Fourth place DI
- Rocco Walsh: Fourth place DUO with Logan Sperling, sixth place DI
- Cooper Linden: Third place DI
Students interested in joining NIU Forensics are encouraged to attend the team meetings at 5 p.m. every Monday in Watson Hall, Room 237.
