The Thundering Word, Marshall University’s speech and debate team, competed recently in the Pi Kappa Delta National Comprehensive Tournament, the largest comprehensive tournament in the nation and the largest ever hosted by Pi Kappa Delta.
With 80 schools and 2,000 entries, it was “the most competitive tournament as well,” said Danny Ray, coach of the Thundering Word. The tournament took place at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI).
Ray said MU placed fourth in Individual Events Team Sweepstakes behind No. 1 William Carey University, second-place Wiley College and No. 3 Ball State University; and fourth in combined Speech and Debate Team Sweepstakes, trailing only first-place Wiley College, second-place William Carey University and third-place Southwest Baptist University.
Marshall took 10th place in Team Debate Sweepstakes. Overall, MU had 23 quarterfinalists, 3 semifinalists and seven finalists in Individual Events.
MU’s Victoria Ledford finished as the 10th-best speaker in Pentathlon out of more than 600 competitors and the national champion-best speaker in IPDA debate, and Joe Garton was the national champion in Junior Lincoln-Douglas Debate.
“This is the best Marshall has performed nationally and we’re looking forward to our future,” Ray said.
Marshall travels to Eastern Michigan University for the National Forensic Association’s national tournament in April.
Here are Marshall’s results from the tournament at IUPUI:
- After Dinner Speaking – Matt Osteen and Garrett Walker, semifinalists
- Communication Analysis – Matt Osteen, quarterfinalist
- Dramatic Interpretation – Devan Sample, Award of Excellence; Marji McCoy, quarterfinalist and Josh Gainer, semifinalist
- Dramatic Duo Interpretation – Victoria Ledford and Devan Sample, quarterfinalists
- Extemporaneous Speaking – Matt Osteen, quarterfinalist
- Impromptu Speaking – Christian Adams, Award of Excellence; Garrett Walker and Victoria Ledford, quarterfinalists
- Improvisation Pairs – Taryss Mandt and Juliet Djietror, second place
- Informative Speaking – Victoria Ledford, third place; Garrett Walker, sixth place; Taryss Mandt, quarterfinalist; and Alyssa Hager, Award of Excellence
- Persuasive Speaking – Marji McCoy, semifinalist; Juliet Djietror, second place; and Alyssa Hager, fourth place
- Poetry Interpretation – Devan Sample, semifinalist
- Prose Interpretation – Christian Adams, Taryss Mand and Josh Gainer, quarterfinalists; and Alyssa Hager, semifinalist
- Student Congress – Joshua Gainer, Marji McCoy and Juliet Djietror as Outstanding Presiding Officers and Joshua Gainer, Marji McCoy, Juliet Djietror, Devan Sample and Logan Spence as Outstanding Legislators
- Top Honor Scholarship – Victoria Ledford, fourth place; Christian Adams, sixth place
- Lincoln-Douglas Debate – Matt Osteen, quarterfinalist
- JV Lincoln-Douglas Debate – Joe Garton, first place; Kai Stewart, semifinalist
- JV Lincoln-Douglas Debate Speaker – Kai Stewart, second place; Joe Garton, third place
- IPDA Debate – Victoria Ledford, quarterfinalist
- IPDA Debate Speaker – Victoria Ledford, first place
- Pentathlon – Victoria Ledford, 10th place
