UK Forensics Team at the Marshall University Chief Justice Invitational speech and debate tournament.
The University of Kentucky Forensics Team won the prestigious Stephen J. Kopp Traveling Sweepstakes Award at the Marshall University Chief Justice Invitational speech and debate tournament. This award is given each year to the team with the greatest number of sweepstakes points from all current and past iterations of the tournament combined.
This traveling sweepstakes award is the first such achievement in the history of the UK Forensics team. Most team awards are based entirely on the performance of the students at a single competition. To win a traveling sweepstakes award, a team has to perform consistently well over the course of years to be victorious. In this case, UK has been attending the Chief Justice Invitational since the fall of 2013.
“This award is not just a testament to the hard work of this year’s students, but is a recognition of the talent and dedication of every competitor who’s ever been a member of our team,” Director of Forensics Timothy Bill said. “Each year, these amazing students have continued to build on the successes of those who came before them. For a team that’s only in its fifth year of competition, they have an awful lot to be proud of.”
The Stephen J. Kopp Traveling Sweepstakes Award trophy will remain at UK until next year’s competition when it will be returned to Marshall University and awarded to the next championship team. After winning the title, a team’s points are reset to zero and the accumulation of sweepstakes points begins anew. The previous recipient of this award was Western Kentucky University, the reigning national champions.
At this year’s tournament, UK placed second in combined sweepstakes, second in the individual events sweepstakes, and was the second place Pi Kappa Delta chapter at the competition. Sophomores Matt Karijolic and Veronica Scott placed third and fourth in the individual sweepstakes competition. Both of these finishes are UK firsts at this tournament. Competitors from UK earned the following awards at this competition:
Team Sweepstakes
- Champions – Stephen J. Kopp Traveling Sweepstakes
- Second place – Combined Speech and Debate Sweepstakes
- Second place – Individual Events Sweepstakes
- Second place – Pi Kappa Delta Chapter
Individual Sweepstakes
- Third place – Matt Karijolic
- Fourth Place – Veronica Scott
After Dinner Speaking
- Third place – Matt Karijolic
Broadcasting
- Fourth place – Megan Wagner
- Fifth place – Veronica Scott
Drama Interpretation
- Sixth place – Veronica Scott
Duo Interpretation
- Fifth place – Kaylon Kennedy and Rachel Brase
- Sixth place – Kaylon Kennedy and Matt Karijolic
Extemporaneous Speaking (Novice)
- Fourth place – Josh Finley
- Fifth place – Will Brennan
Impromptu Speaking
- Second place – Megan Wagner
- Fourth place – Veronica Scott
Improvisational Duo
- First place – Will Brennan and Josh Finley
- Top novices – Will Brennan and Josh Finley
Parliamentary Debate (Novice)
- Semifinalists – Will Brennan and Josh Finley
Parliamentary Debate (Varsity)
- Second place – Matt Karijolic and Veronica Scott
- Semifinalists – Kaylon Kennedy and Rachel Brase
- Sixth place speaker – Veronica Scott
Poetry Interpretation
- Sixth place – Laura McAllister
Program Oral Interpretation
- Third place – Kaylon Kennedy
Public Debate
- First place speaker – Sam Northrup
Rhetorical Criticism
- First place – Matt Karijolic
- Fourth place – Rachel Brase
The University of Kentucky Forensics Team is committed to training the next generation of civic leaders who are passionate about effecting change in their communities. To foster these skills, the team takes part in competitions throughout the southeast region of the United States. The team’s next competition will be the WYRD Invitational speech and debate tournament held at Transylvania University in Lexington, on Dec. 2-3.
UK Forensics is a student organization in the School of Information Science in the College of Communication and Information. The team regularly competes in twelve public speaking events and three forms of debate.