Forensics Team Captures Pi Kappa Delta National Championship

The Gustavus Adolphus College forensics team took first place in the individual events portion of the Pi Kappa Delta National Comprehensive Tournament March 19-21 in Minneapolis.

Gustavus amassed 306 points to narrowly defeat Ohio University which scored 305 points. Bowling Green State University, Carson-Newman College and Miami University of Ohio rounded out the top five in the team standings. A total of 57 colleges and universities participated in the tournament.

Gustavus sophomore Chloe Radcliffe won the Pentathlon competition, which recognizes the top 10 students who compete in at least five events, and in at least one event from each of the three genres of competition – limited preparation, public speaking, and oral interpretation. Radcliffe took first place in the Prose Interpretation event, second place in Communication Analysis, and advanced to the semifinal round in both Dramatic Interpretation and Program Oral Interpretation.

Sophomore Lucas Youngvorst placed sixth in the Pentathlon competition. Youngvorst took second place in Impromptu Speaking and advanced to the semifinals in Extemporaneous Speaking and the quarterfinals in Informative Speaking.

First-year student Kate Bissen took first place in Informative Speaking and added a fourth place showing in Communication Analysis.

Senior C.J. Hunt also took home a first place trophy in the Program Oral Interpretation event.

Senior Mary Cunningham took second place in Persuasive Speaking and third place in Informative Speaking. She also advanced to the semifinal round in both Communication Analysis and Extemporaneous Speaking.

Senior Emma Moreau placed third in Prose Interpretation and also advanced to the semifinal round in both Dramatic Interpretation and After Dinner Speaking.

Junior Phil Helt placed fifth in Communication Analysis and advanced to the semifinal round in Extemporaneous Speaking, Informative Speaking, and Persuasive Speaking.

Sophomore Sam Hemmerich placed sixth in Informative Speaking and added a semifinal appearance in Dramatic Interpretation.

Pi Kappa Delta is a forensics honor society for undergraduate college and university students and a professional organization for graduates.

The Gustavus forensics team will be back in action April 2-5 at the American Forensics Association’s National Individual Events Tournament at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire.