AUSTIN, Texas—The University of Texas at Austin Individual Events speech team earned two national titles in Impromptu Speaking and Communication Analysis at the American Forensic Association National Individual Events Tournament. The team also showcased two national runners-up, nearly matching last year’s record four national event titles.
Of the 18 University of Texas at Austin students who competed, 15 were recognized with honors, including Stephanie Cagniart, a senior majoring in government, who is the third University of Texas at Austin student to be recognized as an All-American. Rina Shah, a senior honors student majoring in psychology and business, was the second University of Texas at Austin student elected as the national student representative to the Executive Council of the National Individual Events Tournament.
Individual Awards are as follows:
National Champion, Communication Analysis: Stephanie Cagniart
National Champion, Impromptu Speaking: Stephanie Cagniart
National Runner-Up, Extemporaneous Speaking: Jillian Collum
National Runner-Up, Poetry Interpretation: Eric Cullather
3rd place, Prose Interpretation: Nicole Martin
3rd place, Extemporaneous Speaking: Stephanie Cagniart
3rd place, Communication Analysis: Jillian Collum
4th place, Poetry Interpretation: Caetlin Mangan
4th place, Duo Interpretation: Bimal Patel and Jesse Gall
4th place, Dramatic Interpretation: Caetlin Mangan
National Semi-Finalists
After Dinner Speaking: Donald Collier
Poetry Interpretation: Donald Collier
Impromptu Speaking: Sandip Gupta
Extemporaneous Speaking: Austin Wright
National Quarter-Finalists
Extemporaneous Speaking: Sandip Gupta, Merry Regan
Informative Speaking: Jillian Collum, Ashley Hatcher and Stephanie Cagniart
Impromptu Speaking: Jillian Collum, Ashley Hatcher
Program of Oral Interpretation: Donald Collier
Poetry Interpretation: Shivali Goudar
Prose Interpretation: Sally Rivero
3rd Speaker Overall: Stephanie Cagniart
10th Speaker Overall: Jillian Collum
The University of Texas at Austin finished second overall, behind Western Kentucky University, and will host the 2008 American Forensic Association National Individual Events Tournament, which will bring 100 colleges and universities to campus April 4-7, 2008.
Sponsored by The University of Texas at Austin College of Communication, and housed in the Department of Communication Studies, the Individual Events speech team has won 24 individual national titles since it was established 18 years ago, making it the second winningest program in the history of the American Forensic Association.
For more information contact: Martin “Randy” Cox, 512-471-1957; Erin Geisler, College of Communication, 512-475-8071.
