Speech team finishes seventh in the nation

April 17, 2024

Speech team

Photo above: The Husker Speech Team when they were named Nebraska State Team Champions.

The University of Nebraska–Lincoln Speech team finished seventh in the nation at the recently completed National Speech Tournament. Nineteen Huskers qualified for the national tournament, and 16 of those students advanced in elimination rounds in at least one event.

Tournament highlights include senior Janana Khattak placing second in communication analysis and senior Victoria Thomas placing sixth in Program Oral Interpretation. Khattak and fellow senior Eliana Seibe-Walles were named to the National All-American Team. Assistant coach and graduate student Cassidy Emmerich won the organization's Outstanding New Coach Award.

"Speech and Debate are incredibly important—and often lifechanging—co-curricular activities," Jody Koenig Kellas, Willa Cather Professor and chair of the Department of Communication Studies, said. "We are incredibly proud of both teams and excited to celebrate them with you!"

The reigning national champion UNL Debate Team will compete at the National Forensics Association National Debate Tournament on April 18-22 at Central Michigan University.