The Northwest Nazarene University (NNU) Forensics Team recently returned from the National Christian College Forensics Tournament, held at Howard Payne University in Brownwood, Texas, bringing home an impressive collection of awards. Every NNU student who competed earned recognition, with the team also securing two Team Sweepstakes Awards: 2nd Place in Division II for Speech Events and 3rd Place in Division II for Debate.
Among the standout individual performances, Lily Walsh claimed the title of Novice Persuasive Speaking Champion, placed 2nd in Novice IPDA Debate, 2nd in Impromptu Speaking and finished 8th in debate speaker rankings. Miya Ingram earned 2nd place in Persuasive Speaking, while Rhianna Soft placed in four of her five events, including 3rd in Prose Interpretation, 4th in Poetry Interpretation, 4th in Homiletics (preaching) and 6th in Programmed Oral Interpretation. Brooklyn Hallett finished 6th in After Dinner Speaking, reached the quarterfinals in Junior IPDA Debate and was 6th in debate speaker rankings. Additionally, Nathan Edmonds advanced as a semi-finalist in Extemporaneous Speaking.
Reflecting on the tournament, Brooke Adamson, Assistant Professor of Communication & Director of Forensics, highlighted the significance of the competition:
“This tournament is a unique opportunity to compete against national quality teams that represent Christian institutions from across the country. Having the opportunity to speak about and debate Christian topics is a beautiful blend of our faith and forensics. Giving students an opportunity to discuss and evaluate what we should be doing as Christians in our current world with a broader audience is an unmatched preparation for their professional lives. Our students represented us well!”
Forensics team member Miya Ingram also shared her thoughts on the experience:
“As someone who has been competing in forensics for the past eight years in various environments and competitive spaces, I have been truly blessed to compete for the NNU team under Coach Adamson and at the National Christian College Forensics Association National Tournament. It is truly a unique experience when you can pray with your coach or teammates between rounds or start a tournament with chapel or prayer. It is a deep blessing to be supported and cared for by your community in this way, and it’s not something I experienced before joining Coach Adamson’s team.”
The NNU Forensics Team will be showcasing some of their award-winning performances at the annual Forensics Showcase on March 19, from 5:00 – 6:30 p.m. in Harter Lecture Hall. The event is open to the public, and snacks will be provided.
