The Great Debaters of Wiley College took eighth place out of 90 colleges and universities from around the country that competed in the postseason National Forensics Association National Tournament, which took place April 17-22 in Santa Ana, California. Wiley’s debate team was the highest placing HBCU at the tournament and the second highest placing team from Texas.
Schools that participated in the tournament included the University of Texas at Austin, Ball State University, Bradley University, Missouri State University, and Northwestern University. More than 120 debaters competed at the event.
Morris McKay, a freshman from Illinois, placed 6th in Novice Poetry, and 16 Wiley College debaters emerged from the tournament as semifinalists (placing in top 12), quarter finalists(placing in top 24), and/or octo-finalists (placing in the top 48).
Individual results are as follows:
Ella Wade, junior Mass Communication major from Georgia, was a semifinalist in Duo Interpretation with Zakeyus Pledger, a junior Mass Communications major from Missouri. Wade was also an Octo-finalist in Duo Interpretation with Omari Hawkins, a senior Interdisciplinary major from Tyler, Texas. She was an Octo-finalist in Dramatic Interpretation.
Zakeyus Pledger, a semifinalist in Duo Interpretation with Ella Wade, was also a quarterfinalist is Poetry Interpretation.
Cardero Berryman, a junior Mass Communications major from Houston, was an octofinalist in Duo Interpretation with Micah Williams, a sophomore Mass Communications major from Houston. Berryman was also a quarterfinalist in poetry.
Micah Williams was also an Octo-finalist in Duo Interpretation with De’Jah Allen, a junior Mass Communications major.
Danielle Jones, a junior Criminal Justice major from Houston, was a quarter-finalist in Poetry Interpretation.
Stephanie Cancel, a junior Sociology major from New York, was a quarter-finalist in Poetry Interpretation.
Jaylon Bolden, a junior Mass Communication from Houston, was a semifinalist in Program Oral Interpretation.
Fortune Onwunali, a junior Mass Communications major from Houston, was an octofinalist in Poetry and quaterfinalist in Program Oral Interpretation.
Nala Johnson, a senior from New Jersey and Nick Madison, a junior from Houston, were octo-finalists in Duo Interpretation.
Rahmane Barnes, a sophomore from Houston, was an octofinalist in Persuasion and Impromptu Speaking.
Ismael Williams, a junior from California, was a quarterfinalist in Prose reading.
Curtis Milby, a senior from Kentucky, was an Octo-finalist in Prose.
Wiley debaters Dimitri Brooks, Naomi Henry, Danielle Jones, and Tylar Phillips also contributed to a successful competition. The team is coached by Dr. Courtney Wright, Dawn Lowry, David Bowers, Darius Wilson, and Francisco Sierra.