DY
Dakota Yates
  • Communications
  • Class of 2018
  • El Dorado, KS

Dakota Yates Contributes to Strong Showing of KWU Forensics and Debate at Pi Kappa Delta National Tournament

2016 Apr 1

Dakota Yates of El Dorado , KS traveled with the Kansas Wesleyan University Forensics and Debate Team on Mar. 16-20, 2016, to compete in the Pi Kappa Delta National Comprehensive Tournament at the University of Kentucky, the largest national college speech and debate tournament in the country.

Eighty-three colleges and universities took part in the annual tournament that included 2,500 entries. Most events had about 180 competitors, and schools of all sizes competed against each other. Though it was one of the smallest schools in attendance, KWU finished the tournament ranked #23 out of 83 colleges and universities. This was the team's final tournament of the 2015-16 academic year.

RESULTS: Three Coyotes reached the final rounds in their events. Freshmen Autumn Zimmerman (Concordia, KS) and Jacob Studebaker (El Dorado, KS) teamed up to place second in Novice Parliamentary Debate. Zimmerman was also recognized as the Fourth-Place Speaker.

Sophomore Dakota Yates (El Dorado, KS) placed fifth in Editorial Impromptu and was in the quarterfinal-the top 36-in Open Impromptu Speaking. Senior Amber Benning (Caney, KS) reached the quarterfinal round in Editorial Impromptu.

KWU FORENSICS AND DEBATE The KWU squad did quite well during the 2015-16 season, claiming three first-place and two second-place finishes in the school debate sweepstakes at regional tournaments against much bigger schools. With freshman Autumn Zimmerman being named National Champion Novice Parliamentary Debate Speaker at the National Christian College Forensics Invitational (NCCFI) in San Diego, CA, on Mar. 5-7, the Kansas Wesleyan University competitive Forensics and Debate Program now has won 30 national championships. The KWU squad has been competitive each year in regional and national tournaments, attending about 12 tournaments per year and facing schools from across the United States. The team makes yearly or bi-annual trips to Louisiana, Tennessee, Missouri, Arkansas, Oklahoma and California to compete.

PI KAPPA DELTA Pi Kappa Delta is the national honor society for collegiate speech and debate. It consists of speech and debate educators, students and alumni from across the country. Thousands of collegiate students gather for the Pi Kappa Delta National Comprehensive Tournament every year.