Webster Forensic and Debate Launches Post-Season With Record-Setting Success

The Webster University Forensic and Debate team finished as one of the top six programs in the nation at the Pi Kappa Delta National Comprehensive Tournament (PKD-NCT), held virtually March 18-22. In addition to its team success, students competed in seven different national championship rounds, an unprecedented accomplishment for the program. The PKD tournament happened on the heels of the International Forensic Association (IFA) Tournament in which the team finished sixth in a field of 38 schools.

The PKD-NCT included 79 schools and over 1,300 entries across 18 different events. This tournament is unique because of its range of events, making it annually one of or the largest national collegiate forensic tournament in the country. Webster’s finish at these two tournaments is made more impressive by the number of freshmen and sophomores in the program.

“We have worked all year toward the goal of being in the top ten at the PKD-NCT," said Gina Jensen, director of Forensics. "Our success is testament to the leadership of our three seniors, and the willingness of our younger members to work hard and scale the learning curve at a time when our program needed that kind of effort."

There aren’t words to express how proud I am of these students...This is the perfect way to end the year as a team.

The program’s seniors—John Wallis, Zoe Rollins, and Daniela Piazzi—paced the Gorloks with their appearance in seven final rounds. Highlighting Webster’s 22 awards won were three national championships, all won by Rollins. She captured top honors in communication analysis and impromptu speaking. Advancing to elimination rounds in five individual events also earned her the individual sweepstakes national championship. Wallis and Rollins also placed second in parliamentary debate, losing the final round to debate power Hillsdale College. In additional to these competitive successes, Piazzi was named a Pi Kappa Delta All-American, making her the ninth in Webster’s history. Students contributing to the team’s top 10 finish in all three team sweepstakes categories include Piazzi, Rollins, Wallis, Garrett Dohlke, Fahima Band, Andrew Baker, Sarah Hill, Laine Sulz and Mackenzie Long-Sanchez.

These PKD-NCT results add to the eight individual and team awards won at the IFA tournament, hosted virtually March 11-14. Wallis was named the International Champion in Persuasive Speaking, Rollins earned a third place finish in Communication Analysis, and the team finished sixth in the overall team sweepstakes competition.

“There aren’t words to express how proud I am of these students," said Jensen. "We had several alumni join us virtually as coaches and judges. To have these competitors complete this pandemic-stricken season with such poise and skill, and then have that effort witnessed by people who helped create the legacy that is so important to all of us in this program is very emotional. This is the perfect way to end the year as a team."

The team will finish their season with two elite tournaments for which students had to qualify through regular season competition. The American Forensic Association National Speech Tournament (AFA-NST) will be held virtually April 1-4, while the Interstate Oratorical Contest will be a virtual event April 23-24.

Awards

A complete listing of awards from these two tournaments follows:

Pi Kappa Delta-National Comprehensive Tournament

International Forensic Association