The Bradley Speech Team brought home its 15th consecutive State Championship scoring an impressive 277 points besting 2nd place Illinois State University (126 points) followed up by 3rd place North Central College, 4th place Northwestern University, and tournament hosts Northern Illinois University earning 5th place. In addition to the team title, students brought home state championships in 8 of the 12 events. In a stellar performance, Bradley students also brought home the top 3 individual sweepstakes awards, which combines points accumulated in all of the students’ events to recognize the best overall speakers in the state. Taking top honors was Sophomore Rebekah Gudeman from Morton, IL, with teammates Senior Talan Tyminski from Ballwin, MO taking 2nd place, and Senior Kitrina Baumgartner from Vallejo, CA taking 3rd place.
The team will be preparing the rest of March for their two national tournaments: the American Forensics Association National Individual Events Tournament in Portland, OR (April 3-6) and the National Forensics Association National Tournament in Athens, OH (April 16-20).
The public is welcome to attend the team’s “Night Before Nationals” performances in Neumiller Lecture Hall on March 27th and 28th at 7pm (rated PG) and 9pm (rated R for language). These four shows, roughly an hour long each, will showcase the team’s yearlong work before they head off to nationals. Admission is $5 per show and all proceeds go towards the team’s travel expenses.
Bradley State Champions included:
Kitrina Baumgartner (Senior Sports Communication Major from Vallejo, CA)- State Champion in Communication Analysis
Sarah Brashear (Freshman Public Relations Major from Omaha, NE) and Natasha Prose (Freshman Marketing Major form Downers Grove, IL)- State Champions in Duo Interpretation
Rebekah Gudeman (Sophomore Political Science Major from Morton, IL)- State Champion in Individual Sweepstakes and Informative Speaking
Adam Rayzor (Senior Television Arts Major from Moorpark, CA)- State Champion in Program Oral Interpretation and Prose Interpretation
Talan Tyminski (Senior Political Science Major from Ballwin, MO)- State Champion in Extemporaneous Speaking and Impromptu Speaking
