Azusa Pacific University Hosted Nationals March 11-13, 2011

The PLNU Speech and Debate Team just won the National Championship in Debate Sweepstakes, scoring double the number of sweepstakes points of the second place school in the Debate Division of the Christian College Nationals.  PLNU also won Second Place Sweepstakes in the combined division of Speech and Debate at this 2011 National Christian College Forensics Association (NCCFA) Championship Tournament, hosted at Azusa Pacific University this past weekend (March 11-13, 2011). 

Senior Daniel Nadal, Co-President of the team was named Top Speaker in the nation, in the Open Division of Parliamentary Debate, and all 9 of the PLNU teams entered in Parliamentary Debate advanced to the elimination rounds through posting winning records in preliminary rounds. 

In Lincoln Douglas debate PLNU students won several individual National Champion titles as well.  MacLean Andrews is the National Champion in the Senior Division. Also noteworthy is that two of our brand new walk on debaters this year with no previous high school debate experience, Ben Carney and Brian Bentley, were both named Co National Champions after winning their respective Semi Final rounds in Lincoln Douglas debate, advancing to the Final Round in that division’s bracket.  Imagine the NCAA Basketball bracket, but a little smaller, not as much media attention and very few commercial endorsements. J

We have one last National Championship tournament this year, unfortunately taking place this Wednesday through Sunday for our Senior Teams.  It will be at Colorado College, in Colorado Springs.  Thanks for your continued encouragement of the students in your classes and the institutional and prayer support from the PLNU community that make this possible.

NCCFA 2011 National Championship Tournament Results

Parliamentary Debate Results:

Senior Division –

                        Team results:

Ashley Nuckels and Ian Sharples – Semi Finalists

Mac Andrews and Michelle Diaz – Semi Finalists

Kim Jensen and Alex Pineda – Quarter Finalists

Barbara Gausewitz and Ciera Wilson – Quarter Finalists

McKayla Carpenter and John Morris – Quarter Finalists

Daniel Nadal and James Wilson – Octa Finalists

                        Speaker Awards:

1^st Speaker:                 Daniel Nadal (Tournament Champion)

8^th Speaker:                 James Wilson

9^th Speaker:                 Ian Sharples

15^th Speaker:               Ashley Nuckels

17^th Speaker:               Kim Jensen

Junior Division –

            Team Awards:

Benjamin Carney and Christy Wright – Semi Finalists

Brooke Rakes and Kassi Sanstrom – Quarter Finalists

Hailey Courtney and Brian Bentley – Quarter Finalists

                        Speaker Awards:

5^th Speaker:                 Haley Courtney

7^th Speaker:                 Brian Bentley

9^th Speaker:                 Brooke Rakes

15^th Speaker:               Kassi Sandstrom

Lincoln Douglas Debate:

MacLean Andrews: Open Division National Champion

James Wilson: Semi Finalist Open Division

Ben Carney:  Co National Champion Novice Division

Brian Bentley: Co National Champion Novice Division

Individual Events Results:

Daniel Nadal:  Open Impromptu Third Place

Ashley Nuckels: Open Extemp Third Place;  Open Rhetorical Criticism Fourth Place

Kim Jensen: Open Informative Sixth Place

McKayla Carpenter: Open Impromptu Semi Finalist