BGSU debate team among top in nation

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Paul Wesley Alday, Mary Ellen Mazey and members
of the Falcon Forensics and Debate Team with the NCT Championship trophy. (Photo
provided)

Bowing Green State University’s Falcon Forensics and Debate Team proved once again it
is one of the top teams in the country. For the first time in school history,
the team placed in all six team divisions at the National Comprehensive
Tournament March 15-19 in Kansas City, Mo.
BGSU walked away with second in the nation in Forensic Events, first in Student
Congress, first in Reader’s Theatre, and third in Overall Combined Sweepstakes
and won this year’s NCT Championship trophy. Team members collectively earned 33
national awards, including national championships in Reader’s Theatre and
Criticism.
Nicholas Blaine, a senior from Sylvania, and Rachel Rine, a junior from Bowling
Green, both placed in Pentathlon, which makes them two of the top 10 overall
speakers in the nation. Blaine also received a second place in Top Honor
Scholarship.
Spencer Colie, a freshman from Heyworth, Ill., placed second in the nation in
Informative Speaking.
BGSU competed against teams from the University of Texas, Notre Dame University, the
University of Michigan and Yale University, among others. This is the ninth
national team honor earned by BGSU since 2007.
This year’s national success concludes a season where BGSU earned top team honors at
14 tournaments in a row, from Boston to Tennessee. Every one of BGSU’s team
members qualified for nationals in at least two events.
"This was an amazing season, especially since our team is so young." said
Paul Wesley Alday, director of forensics and an instructor of interpersonal
communication at BGSU. "Eighty percent of our team members are freshmen and
sophomores, which makes the future look exceptionally bright for the
program."
The team will showcase its national award-winning performances at 7 p.m. April 11 in
111 Olscamp Hall. The free event will feature the national champion Reader’s
Theatre and speeches from state and national finals.
Forensics and Debate is a co-curricular, competitive program offered through the
School of Media and Communication and Department of Communication.

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