WT Forensics Students Rank Highly at National Competition

Copy by Chip Chandler, 806-651-2124, cchandler@wtamu.edu

CANYON, Texas — Three West Texas A&M University students were quarterfinalists at a recent national forensics tournament.

Abigail Stilwell, a senior psychology major from Krum, and Willa Brackin, a sophomore communication studies major from Thicket, competed in duo interpretation. Brackin competed in dramatic interpretation, and Isaac Doty, a senior sociology major from Lubbock, competed in informative speaking. All placed within the top 28 of all competitors.

The team ranked 20th overall in competition with both Division I and II schools. They competed April 7 at the American Forensics Association National Speech Tournament, held this year at the University of North Carolina.

Members who qualified for and competed at the national level also included Kyla Holt, a freshman economics major from Borger: Hannah Kamer, a junior communication studies major from Sweetwater; and August Vinson, a sophomore history major from Amarillo.

“Placing 20th is a true testament to the work of the team as a whole. Every student from the first years to the seniors earned points for the team. We improved from 21st last year, competing against schools three and four times our size with endowments and piles of extra coaching staff,” said Kelsey Abele, assistant professor of communication studies. “In a tight ship like ours, every member has to chip in to achieve this ranking.”

The tournament is a platform for speech education at the college level, bringing together students from across the nation to compete for national championships in multiple events.

Abele and Alejandro Mata, a 2024 alumnus from Hereford, also presented research on code switching in collegiate forensics, or the ways that student modify their performances and behaviors to better fit within the competitive system. Mata won a $5,000 honorarium in 2024 from the Dr. Bruce Manchester Scholar Series, for intensive study and research.

The Manchester Scholar grant underscores the commitment of the AFA-NST to support scholarly endeavors in forensics and encourages research that contributes to the advancement of communication studies.

The WT Forensics Team offers opportunities for students to exhibit outstanding abilities and accomplishments, one of the key principles of the University’s long-range plan, WT 125: From the Panhandle to the World.

That plan is fueled by the historic One West comprehensive fundraising campaign, which reached its initial $125 million goal 18 months after publicly launching in September 2021. The campaign’s new goal is to reach $175 million by 2025; currently, it has raised more than $160 million.

About West Texas A&M University

WT, a Regional Research University, is redefining excellence in Canyon, Texas, on a 342-acre residential campus, as well as the Harrington Academic Hall WTAMU Amarillo Center in downtown Amarillo. Established in 1910, the University has been part of The Texas A&M University System since 1990. WT, a Hispanic Serving Institution since 2016, boasts an enrollment of more than 9,000 and offers 66 undergraduate degree programs, including eight associate degrees; and 44 graduate degrees, including an integrated bachelor’s and master’s degree, a specialist degree and two doctoral degrees. The University is also home to the Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum, the largest history museum in the state and the home of one of the Southwest’s finest art collections. The Buffaloes are a member of the NCAA Division II Lone Star Conference and offers 14 men’s and women’s athletics programs.

Photo: Members of the West Texas A&M University Forensics Team are, from left, Willa Brackin, Isaac Doty, Hannah Kamer, August Vinson and Kyla Holt. Not pictured is Abigail Stilwell. The team ranked 20th at the recent American Forensics Association National Speech Tournament.

—WT—