AB
Allyson Bogen
  • Junction City, KS

Allyson Bogen Helps KWU Forensics & Debate Team Make Impressive Showing at National Tournaments during March 2015

2015 Apr 8

Allyson Bogen of Junction City , KS competed on a national level with the Kansas Wesleyan University Forensics & Debate team during the month of March. The team is guided by Gary Harmon, director of KWU Forensics and Debate, who recently received recognition for his 50 years of involvement in the field.

Kansas Wesleyan debaters experienced great national success during the month of March. First, the team traveled to Ohio University in Athens, OH, for the National Pi Kappa Delta Forensics Tournament, March 4-6. This is the largest national forensics tournament in the nation, with 88 colleges and universities and more than 2000 entries.

Schools from all classifications competed against each other, putting small institutions like KWU up against Division I schools like Central Michigan University. Despite being one of the smallest schools in attendance, Kansas Wesleyan placed 18th in debate sweepstakes. Boise State University placed first. The sweepstakes awards are the final rankings that measure total squad success over the course of a season.

There were 100 to 250 entries in each event. Individual and team placings for KWU were: Parliamentary Debate--Amber Benning and William "Alex" Vore, 4th place; Impromptu Speaking--Jacob "Jake" Provo, 4th Place, Amber Benning, 27th place, Dakota Yates, 30th place, Alex Vore, 32nd place; Extemporaneous Speaking--Dakota Yates, 4th place; Interviewing & Resume--Jake Provo, 29th place; Congress--Amber Benning, Presiding Officer & 7th place overall.

During spring break, the KWU debate team traveled to the National Christian College Forensics Invitational, Mar. 20-22, at Colorado Christian University in Lakewood, CO. The tournament is organized by the National Christian College Forensics Association (www.nccfa.org). For this invitational, 79 colleges and universities from 26 states competed. Kansas Wesleyan University returned home with two newly crowned national champions.

Kansas Wesleyan students finished as follows: Alex Vore was declared Junior Varsity National Champion in Lincoln-Douglas Debate; Dakota Yates won National Novice Champion in Impromptu Speaking; Allyson "Ally" Boygen was awarded 3rd place in Novice IPDA; Amber Benning finished 8th in Open IPDA; Dakota Yates and Jake Provo - 4th in Open Parliamentary Debate. KWU took 3rd overall in debate sweepstakes.