Nationals wrapup: Kenney, Knauss, McCarty and Patchet national finalists; LC eighth nationally
The nationals season for LC speech and debate was once again a successful one as the speech team finished eighth nationally, led by a runner-up performance by Eden Kenney (’23) in Informative Speaking, a pair of third place finishes by Syl Knauss (’24) in Dramatic Interpretation, a third place showing in Duo Interpretation by Kenney and partner Catie McCarty (’24), and a sixth place performance in After-Dinner Speaking by Gavin Patchet (’23). The British Parliamentary team of Johnny Nieters (’24) and Alice Sauter (’24) added a semifinal appearance at the YODL Championships, and the Lincoln-Douglas and IPDA squads both recorded team finishes in eighth place nationally as well.
With five championship tournaments over a four week span, the Lewis & Clark speech and debate squad had a whirlwind March and April for nationals season. Fortunately, the whirlwind carried the team in the right direction, as LC’s squad finished in eighth place nationally at four different tournaments.
The speech team was led Eden Kenney (’23) in Informative Speaking, a pair of third place finishes by Syl Knauss (’24) in Dramatic Interpretation, a third place showing in Duo Interpretation by Kenney and partner Catie McCarty (’24), and a sixth place performance in After-Dinner Speaking by Gavin Patchet (’23).
The British Parliamentary team of Johnny Nieters (’24) and Alice Sauter (’24) added a semifinal appearance at the YODL Championships, and the Lincoln-Douglas and IPDA squads both recorded team finishes in eighth place nationally as well.
A recap of each tournament:
IPDA Championship Tournament, March 23-25, Boise, ID: Lewis & Clark attended the IPDA Championship tournament for the first time in 2023. Debaters Zane Emerson (’26) and Teddi Hall (’26) each advanced to elimination rounds, and LC was honored as the eighth place school for season long results in the varsity division.
Western States Debating Championship, March 24-26, Portland, OR: Lewis & Clark was host to the 2023 Western States Debating Championship, a British Parliamentary debate tournament. For the first time in program history, LC debaters advanced to elimination rounds at this tournament, as the team of Fernando Dzul Fisher (’24) and Carson Chamness (’24) were quarterfinalists. This capped a weekend of debating as LC also facilitated the Capital Toastmasters tournament, believed to be the largest debate tournament ever held in a prison.
AFA National Speech Tournament, March 31-April 3, Santa Ana, CA: The speech team got its nationals season started with a bang, as Kenney/McCarty and Knauss made their runs to finals and the squad earned an eighth place finish. Eleven different LC students advanced to elimination rounds, and Kenney was also named a 2023 All American and was the 11th place individual speaker at the tournament.
- Kenney: 3rd place Duo Interp, Semifinal (SF) Informative Speaking, Quarterfinal (QF) Persuasive Speaking, QFImpromptu Speaking
- Knauss: 3rd place Dramatic, QF Program Oral Interp, QF Duo Interpretation
- McCarty: 3rd place Duo Interp, QF Impromptu Speaking
- Danny Brady (’23): SF Persuasive Speaking, QF Duo Interpretation, Quarterfinal Communication Analysis
- Ellery Bloom (’25): SF Prose Interpretation, QF Dramatic Interpretation
- Patchet: SF Impromptu Speaking
- Tiani Ertel (’25): SF Dramatic Interpretation
- Rosalie Zuckermann (’25): QF Dramatic Interpretation, QF Program Oral Interpretation
- Ruby Guzman (’25): QF Dramatic Interpretation
- Emma Ramsey (’25): QF After Dinner Speaking
- JR Saling (’25): QF Persuasive Speaking
YODL Championships, April 8-9, Denver, CO: Another first for the British Parliamentary squad as two teams advanced at a major championship. The team of Nieters and Sauter were among the top eight teams nationally with a semifinal appearance, while the team of Maltin Tocani (’25) and Emily Shem (’25) made it to quarterfinals.
NFA Championship Tournament, April 13-17, Peoria, IL: The final nationals for the season was held at Bradley University, and it was among the best tournaments ever for the LC squad. Kenney, Knauss and Patchet had company in elimination rounds as 42 of the 70 LC entries advanced, and the school was honored as the eighth place school nationally in both speech and Lincoln-Douglas debate.
Kenney: 2nd place Informative Speaking, QF Prose Interpretation, QF Persuasive Speaking, QF Impromptu Speaking, Octafinal (OF) After-Dinner Speaking, OF Rhetorical Criticism, OF Duo Interpretation
Knauss: 3rd place Dramatic Interpretation, QF Duo Interpretation, QF Rhetorical Criticism, OF
