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 at Northwestern University on January 22.
The Nebraska team led the field with a point total of 212 points, and students captured nine of twelve individual Big Ten Tournament titles.
Senior co-captain Jonathan Baker was named top individual speaker, and he took individual titles in after dinner speaking, prose interpretation, and duo interpretation with his partner, junior Mattison Merritt, who also won dramatic interpretation. Senior co-captain Christian Rush took top honors in informative speaking. Juniors Chloe Meier and Erin Sheehan won poetry interpretation and communication analysis. Sophomore Rebecca Human won extemporaneous speaking, and freshman Madison Morrissette won persuasive speaking.
“It is an honor to coach this team," said the team's director, Aaron Duncan. "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 selected by the conference committee to serve as this year’s tournament director. She is the youngest director in tournament history.
“This was a testament to our teamwork and commitment to each other," Baker said. "We perform as individuals, but we compete as team and support each other as a team.”
“As a senior, it is sad to finish my final conference tournament," Rush said, "but it has been a great honor to be part of this team for the past four years.”
The students have been competing since September and are preparing for their national tournaments in April at Bradley University and the University of Wisconsin Eau Claire.
Read more about the Speech and Debate team, or contact director Aaron Duncan or department chair Dawn O. Braithwaite for more information.
