Forensics squad finishes year in seventh place at speech nationals

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Source: Craig Brown, 785-532-6790, craigb@k-state.edu
News release prepared by: Cheryl May, 785-532-6415, may@k-state.edu
Note to editor: Jessy Ohl is the son of Mark and Jodi Ohl, Denison, Iowa

Friday, April 13, 2007

K-State Student Wins National Championship in Speech
FORENSICS SQUAD FINISHES YEAR IN SEVENTH PLACE AT SPEECH NATIONALS

MANHATTAN -- The Kansas State University forensics team went to the National Individual Events Tournament, April 6-9 hosted by Minnesota State University, Mankato. The tournament was sponsored by the American Forensic Association.

K-State students came home with a national championship in extemporaneous speaking and a seventh place finish overall. K-State's individual events forensics speech team competed against 83 schools, with 1,442 entries from nearly 500 competitors.

Jessy Ohl, Denison, Iowa, a junior in political science, is the nation's top college extemporaneous speaker. He also finished fourth in Informative Speaking and 10th in the Individual Sweepstakes.

"Jessy certainly deserves this national recognition," said K-State President Jon Wefald. "I know he has worked extremely hard and put in many long hours of preparation during his speech career. Also, it is great to see K-State's forensics squad back in the top 10.

"Our K-State students continue to excel in challenging national competition, and that is a tribute to them and to the faculty who have mentored them. Craig Brown is an outstanding, national caliber coach," Wefald said.

Ohl has been doing forensics for seven years -- four in high school, three in college. He attended the University of Northern Iowa for his freshman year, then transferred to K-State.

"I transferred to Kansas State in hopes of winning a national title," Ohl said. "K-State has one of the most respected coaching staffs in the entire nation. My coaches' amazing instruction was without a doubt the greatest reason for my success. Before transferring, I had only been in Kansas once in my entire life, however, moving to Kansas and going to K-State has been the most rewarding decision in my life. Since attending K-State I have been in four national finals, and was a national runner-up in the 2006 National Oration contest."

Additional K-State winners include: Kevin Keatley, Bazine, senior in political science, reached the semi-finals in extemporaneous speaking. Julia Debes, Hoisington, senior in agricultural communications, won third in impromptu speaking, reached the semi-finals (top 12) in extemporaneous speaking, quarter-finals in persuasion and was 17th in the individual sweepstakes. Clare Feeley, Leawood, sophomore in speech, reached the quarter-finals in poetry interpretation. Kevin Phillips, Spring Hill, senior in political science, was fifth in impromptu speaking. Alex Serra, Joshua, Texas, senior in kinesiology, reached the semi-finals in persuasion, quarter-finals in impromptu speaking.

Students qualify for the tournament by placing at or near the top of three tournaments during the course of the year in each of their events. Coaches are Craig Brown, head coach and director; Bobby Imbody, assistant head coach; Erika Imbody, assistant coach and instructor. Graduate teaching assistants working as assistant coaches are Sarah Steimel, Neal Stewart and Paddy Barton.