Since 1979, the Bradley Speech Team has won over 40 AFA and NFA team national championships. This record of success is unmatched by any other forensic or academic program in history.
Team Sweepstakes
American Forensics Association National Individual Events Tournament (AFA)
1979 – Second Place
1980 – National Champions
1981 – National Champions
1982 – National Champions
1983 – National Champions
1984 – National Champions
1985 – National Champions
1986 – National Champions
1987 – National Champions
1988 – National Champions
1989 – National Champions
1990 – National Champions
1991 – National Champions
1992 – National Champions
1993 – National Champions
1994 – Second Place
1995 – Second Place
1996 – National Champions
1997 – National Champions
1998 – National Champions
1999 – National Champions
2000 – National Champions
2001 – Second Place
2002 – Second Place
2003 – Fourth Place
2004 – Fifth Place
2005 – Second Place
2006 – Third Place
2007 – Fourth Place
2008 – Second Place
2009 – Fourth Place
2010 – National Champions
2011 – Second Place
2012 – National Champions
2013 – National Champions
2014 – Second Place
2016 - Fourth Place
2017 - Fourth Place
2018 - Third Place
2019 - Second Place
2020 - No competition held due to COVID
2021 - Third Place
2022 - Fifth Place
2023 - Fifth Place
2024 - Third Place
National Forensics Association National Tournament (NFA)
1979 – Fifth Place
1980 – did not compete
1981 – Second Place
1982 – National Champions
1983 – National Champions
1984 – National Champions
1985 – National Champions
1986 – Second Place
1987 – Second Place
1988 – National Champions
1989 – National Champions
1990 – National Champions
1991 – National Champions
1992 – National Champions
1993 – National Champions
1994 – National Champions
1995 – Second Place
1996 – National Champions
1997 – National Champions
1998 – National Champions
1999 – Second Place
2000 – Second Place
2001 – National Champions
2002 – National Champions
2003 – Second Place
2004 – Third Place
2005 – National Champions
2006 – Second Place
2007 – Fourth Place
2008 – Second Place
2009 – Second Place
2010 – Second Place
2011 – Second Place
2012 – National Champions
2013 – National Champions
2014 – Second Place
2016 - Third Place
2017 - Second Place
2018 - Third Place
2019 - National Champions
2020 - No competition held due to COVID
2021 - Third Place
2022 - Sixth Place
2023 - Seventh Place
2024 - Fifth Place
Individual Achievement
In 1979, a Bradley Speech team competitor won AFA in poetry. This was the first time that anyone had won an individual national championship from Bradley and it marked the beginning of a tradition of excellence. Since then, Bradley University has had over 150 individual national champions.