Speech and Debate team wins sixth consecutive Big Ten title

Photo Credit: Speech and Debate team
by Dawn O. Braithwaite Mon, 01/23/2017 - 17:11

The University of Nebraska-Lincoln Speech and Debate Team became six time champions of the Big Ten with its victory at the Conference Challenge Tournament, January 22nd at Northwestern University in Evanston, Ill. 

Nebraska led the field with a point total of 212 points, ahead of second-place finisher Northwestern University with 152 points. In addition to the team championship, in a conference that has a long tradition of academic excellence and distinction in speech and debate, students captured nine of twelve individual Big Ten Tournament titles. The team’s victory was led by senior co-captain Jonathan Baker of Hickman, who was named top individual speaker at the tournament.  Baker took individual titles in after dinner speaking, prose interpretation, and duo interpretation with his partner junior Mattison Merritt of Lincoln, who also won dramatic interpretation.  Fellow senior co-captain Christian Rush of Bellevue took top honors in informative speaking.  Juniors Chloe Meier of Roca and Erin Sheehan won poetry interpretation and communication analysis.  The future of the team was well represented with sophomore Rebecca Human of Gretna winning extemporaneous speaking and first year student Madison Morrissette of Omaha winning persuasive speaking. 

Speech and Debate Director Aaron Duncan summed up the team’s performance, “It is an honor to coach this team.  These students work so hard and they put so much of themselves into this activity.  They do not compete for the roar of the crowd or big scholarships, they do it because they like a challenge, because knowledge intrigues them, because they want to raise the level of discourse in our society, and because they care passionately about the topics they pursue.” Associate Director Allison Bonander was honored by the conference committee to be selected to serve as this year’s tournament director.  She was the youngest director in tournament history and was responsible for overseeing the day’s events.

Co-captains Baker and Rush credit this as a team effort.  Baker stated, “This was a testament to our teamwork and commitment to each other.  We perform as individuals, but we compete as team and support each other as a team.”  Rush continued, “As a senior, it is sad to finish my final conference tournament, but it has been a great honor to be part of this team for the past four years.”  The students of the both the speech and debate teams have been competing since September and are preparing for their national tournaments, which will be held at Bradley University in Peoria, Illinois and the University of Wisconsin Eau Claire in April.

For more information on the department or the speech and debate team, visit http://comm.unl.edu or contact Director Dr. Aaron Duncan: aduncan3@unl.edu or Department Chair Dawn O. Braithwaite: dbraithwaite@unl.edu.