ISSUED: 4 March 2019
MEDIA CONTACT: Valerie Owens
SHEPHERDSTOWN, WV — Shepherd University’s Debate and Forensics Team won first place in overall Team Sweepstakes at the West Virginia Intercollegiate Forensics Association’s State Tournament February 23-24 at Fairmont State University. Shepherd students were also named state champions in Policy Debate and Lincoln Douglas Debate.
Team members who placed in the tournament include:
- Jordan Jalil, a political science and economics major from Charles Town, state and tournament champion in Interpersonal Policy Debate; third place, Informative Speaking; fourth place, Improvisational Duo; and sixth place Extemporaneous Speaking and West Virginia State Pentathlon.
- Spencer VanHoose, a political science major from Martinsburg, state runner-up in Lincoln-Douglas Debate and Informative Speaking; third place, Lincoln-Douglas Debate Speakers; fourth place, Persuasive and Communication Analysis; sixth place, Radio Broadcasting.
- Ryan Dudrow, a political science major from Hedgesville, state and tournament co-champion in Lincoln-Douglas Debate and Lincoln-Douglas Debate Speakers; and fourth place, Improvisational Duo;
- Madison Ronevich, a political science major from Inwood, state and tournament co-champion in Lincoln-Douglas Debate; fourth place, Lincoln-Douglas Debate Speakers.
- Kristiana Carnivale, a political science major from Inwood, sixth place, Prose Interpretation.
- Aubrey Duckworth, a business administration major from Kingwood, state and tournament champion in Dramatic Duo; and third place, Radio Broadcasting.
- Ilynn Brennan, a music education major from Fairmont, state and tournament champion in Dramatic Duo; fourth place, Poetry; fifth place, Program Oral Interpretation and Prose Interpretation.
- Miranda Jones, a political science major from Huntingtown, Maryland, state and tournament champion in Radio Broadcasting; state quarterfinalist, Interpersonal Policy Debate; state runner-up, Impromptu Speaking, Improvisational Duo, Persuasive, Communication Analysis, and West Virginia State Pentathlon.
- Jacob Kleppe-Egge, a business administration major from Westminster, Maryland, third place, Persuasive; and fifth place, Lincoln-Douglas Debate Speakers.
- Eric Ostrow, a political science major from Reisterstown, Maryland, state runner-up in Improvisational Duo.
The team also participated in the Collegiate Forensics Association’s year-end tournament in Ocean City, Maryland, March 1-2, coming away with fourth place in Team Sweepstakes. Jones was named Barb Sims Memorial Lincoln-Douglas Debater of the Year, and VanHoose was tournament champion in Lincoln-Douglas debate.
The team will compete in the 2019 Pi Kappa Delta Biennial National Tournament at Hofstra University in Hempstead, New York, March 20-24.
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