The Ball State University speech team won the Indiana state championship for the third year in a row last weekend, sweeping the competition.
The nine team members traveled to Butler University on Feb. 17, where they beat eight other universities and about 100 students, Mary Moore, team coach and communications studies professor, said. Ball State won by 98 points, she said.
"We've had some individual success [during the season], but not a team one until the state tournament," Moore said. "That was when we kind of came together. It was the highlight of our year."
The team competed in 11 categories, six of which Ball State students won as individuals, Moore said. Every team member placed in at least one category, she said.
"It was a good accomplishment because they're young," she said. "There's a lot of novices and they're not as experienced as other members. That speaks well for the future."
The speech team will travel to a national competition with about 150 schools April 19-23 at Berry College in Georgia, Moore said. Last year Ball State placed ninth at nationals, she said.
State competitions are not qualifiers for the national competition, she said, and the team would still have been able to compete if it hadn't placed first.
Ball State will compete in the Division 2 category instead of its usual Division 1 because the team is smaller this year, Moore said.
Seven of the nine members will go to nationals, Moore said. The tournament is almost a week long and two members are not able to attend because of schedule conflicts, she said.
Team Captain Nicole Lengerich will also compete individually in the Interstate Oratory Contest April 26-29 at the University of Arizona, she said.
The Interstate Oratory Contest is the oldest and most prestigious national speech contest in the country, Moore said. President John F. Kennedy participated in the competition, she said.
In order to compete, each person must win first or second place in the persuasive speaking category at state competitions, she said.
"We did pretty well considering how small we are," Lengerich said. "It's a rebuilding year this year."
Many members graduated last year, leading to a smaller team, Moore said. There are six novices and three returning members. In recent years, the team has had about 12 or 13 members, and the largest team in the past five years had 20 members, she said.
Team leaders had a call-out meeting and made classroom presentations to recruit members after most of the team graduated last year, Moore said. The team is recruiting members gradually to prevent most of the members graduating at the same time, she said.
"It has been a slower year because there weren't as many tournaments, but when novices join the team, they pretty much sink or swim," Lengerich said. "Those that swim love it."
Read More
Three Air Jam teams take home the win
October 12, 2012Nineteen teams shimmied, shook and flipped for a sold out John R. Emens Auditorium on Thursday night during the 25th annual Air Jam.
Bill Clinton Speaks at North Central High School
October 12, 2012Former President's Speech Could Have Effect on State Senate Race
