Webster Forensic and Debate Team Wins Another National Title

The Webster University Forensic and Debate Team returned from the Pi Kappa Delta National Tournament and Convention as national champions. The team continued their multi-year winning streak at the March 18-22 national tournament, earning several individual and team awards including two All American awards and a 10th place team finish.

In all, Webster won 27 awards, including the National Championship in Oral History. This is the team’s 34th national championship since it was founded in 1993. Additionally, Madi Teska and Maral Mahdinia were named All Americans, the 10th and 11th Webster students to earn that honor. Among her other awards, Teska also placed third in After Dinner Speaking. Mahdinia also won several awards including a top-five finish in Discussion. Rachel Hopper was Webster’s other top-10 finisher, taking sixth place in Discussion.

The team competed in 25 different events including 72 individual speaking and performance entries, along with 18 debate entries slots. Their collective effort paced them to 10th place in Overall Sweepstakes. The team competed against 60 other teams from across the country including Boise State University, Louisiana State University-Baton Rouge (LSU), University of Missouri–Columbia (Mizzou), California State University at Los Angeles, Central Michigan University, Ohio University, Texas Christian University, Simpson College, University of California–San Diego, University of Central Florida, Butler University, Marshall University and Texas Tech University.

The forensic team has worked hard all year preparing for this tournament. In addition to there being 60 schools in attendance, the tournament included 438 competitors and 2,482 overall entries. Director of Forensics, Gina Jensen stated, “Most events we competed in had at between 100-200 competitors. It’s beyond impressive that the team won this many awards.” Jensen goes on to say how special it is for the team to win another national title and to bring home two All American Awards, as well as a Rising Star Award (similar to an All American award for freshmen and sophomores).

Beyond the undergraduate competition, Webster continued to show its influence in the organization. Alumnus Joshua Ritchey (BA, 2013) was named to the Order of Attainment, making him the fourth Webster graduate to earn that honor. The Order of Attainment is the highest honor the organization gives to non-forensic and debate professionals. It recognizes former competitors who use their forensic and debate experiences in exceptional contributions to the broader community. Additionally, Jensen served as both the organization’s Historian and the event’s Convention Director. The team was also joined by former Director Scott Jensen and 10 alumni who came to support the team and judge at the competition.

The team turns its efforts in April to the Interstate Oratorical Contest (ISO), the nation’s oldest speech tournament which began in 1874. ISO is a select tournament in which only the top two orators from each state are invited to attend. Maral Mahdinia won the Missouri State championship, earning her entry into the contest. Mahdinia follows Jonathan Arens who was last year’s state champion and bid winner. Webster has had 11 bids to the Interstate Oratorical Contest. The team will also be showcasing their seniors on April 14. Please join us to celebrate these award-winning students.

A full list of Webster’s awards from this year’s Pi Kappa Delta Tournament is below:

Debate

• Madi Teska – Open IPDA: excellent (top 30%)
• Nadia Calloway – Novice IPDA: excellent (top 30%), 4th speaker
• Eleanor Clark – Novice IPDA: excellent (top 30%)
• Maral Mahdinia – Discussion: excellent (top 30%)
• Rachel Hooper – Discussion: excellent (top 30%)

Individual Events

• Madi Teska – ADS: 3rd Place top superior, Showcase Performer; Extemp: excellent (top 30%); Impromptu: excellent (top 30%); Extemp Commentary: excellent (top 30%)
• Maral Mahdinia – Broadcast Journalism: excellent (top 30%); Interviewing: excellent (top 30%); Extemp Commentary: excellent (top 30%)
• Evana Vrhovac- DI: excellent (top 30%); Interviewing: excellent (top 30%)
• Eleanor Clark – Extemp: excellent (top 30%)
• Chesper Tunga – Impromptu: excellent (top 30%)
• Nadia Calloway – Impromptu: excellent (top 30%)
• Adi Sharma – Broadcast Journalism: excellent (top 30%); Interviewing: excellent (top 30%)

Sweeps/Team Awards

• Oral History: 1st (National Champion)
• Combined Sweepstakes: 10th

Special Awards

• Madi Teska: All American
• Maral Mahdinia: All American
• Chesper Tunga: Rising Star
• Joshua Ritchey: Order of Attainment