Speech Team Continues National Prominence

April 5, 2016

The Bradley University Speech Team competed for the American Forensics Association's National Championship and placed 4th out of nearly 70 universities and colleges from across the country. With half the team made up of freshmen and sophomores, the young squad continued Bradley University's long tradition of national prominence with its top four finish at the nationwide event hosted this year by the University of Florida.

"We put a heavy burden on our underclassmen this year and they stepped up," said Director of Forensics Ken Young. "Many learned the experiential lesson on what it takes to move from one elimination round to the next," Young continued.

With over 40 team national championships and over 150 individual national championships, the Bradley Speech Team is not only the most successful collegiate forensics program in the country, but the most successful collegiate team in any capacity, including sports, according to the Associated Press.  Bradley is the only team to have won a national championship in every decade since 1980. 

The team has only 7 days before heading to the National Forensics Association's National Tournament at Ball State University, April 14-18. The results from this past weekend are as follows:

Team Sweepstakes
4th in the Nation

Overall Individual Top Speakers
9th Jerome Gregory (Jr.)
18th Annie Schuver (So.)

Communication Analysis
6th Jerome Gregory (Jr.)
Top 12
Annie Schuver (So.)
Top 24
Kylie Caligiuri (Jr.)

Prose Interpretation
Top 24
Abby Hanneman (Jr.)
Kyle Powers (Fr.)

Program Oral Interpretation
Top 24
Kyle Powers (Fr.)
Megan Magee (Fr.)

Drama Interpretation
Top 24
Megan Magee (Fr.)

Poetry Interpretation
Top 24
Greg Huber (Fr.)
Brandon Johnson (Sr.)

After Dinner Speaking
Top 12
Sarah Brashear (So.)
Top 24
Jerome Gregory (Jr.)
Julia Rabin (Sr.)

Persuasive Speaking
Top 12
Julia Rabin (Sr.)
Top 24
Abby Surprenant (Jr.)
Annie Schuver (So.)

Informative Speaking
Top 12
Jerome Gregory (Jr.)
Julia Rabin (Sr.)
Top 24
Annie Schuver (So.)

Impromptu Speaking
Top 24
Annie Schuver (So.)
Jerome Gregory (Jr.)

Extemporaneous Speaking
Top 24
Jerome Gregory (Jr.)