For the sixth year in a row, Ball State’s speech team received the state champion title from the Indiana Forensic Association.
The team was crowned the 2016 winners Feb. 21. Other honors include winning 17 out of 18 individual state titles and winning the Quality Award for the third year in a row.
They competed against five other universities: Marian University, Ivy Tech University, Butler University, Purdue University and University of Indianapolis to win the title.
Lauren Seitz, a senior French and English major, won three state titles. She won extemporaneous speaking, after dinner speaking and was named impromptu speaking champion. She also won the scholarly essay contest. Seitz won novice impromptu speaking her freshman year and extemporaneous speaking last year.
“The best part about the state tournament was at awards when I was realizing that we had won so many state titles,” Seitz said. “Winning three state titles was a great way to cap off my senior year.”
Seitz said she’s most proud of the novice members and how well they did in their first year on the team.
Mariann Fant, a freshman organizational communication major, won novice dramatic interpretation champion and novice informative speaking champion. She said much of the team’s success comes from the commitment each member makes and its coaches, Mary Moore, Ashley Coker, Mike Storr, Zoe Russell, Spencer Coile, Berkley Conner and Huy Pham.
“We are extremely hard workers,” Fant said. “[Being on the speech team is] a lot of hard work and commitment. In addition, we have such an amazing coaching staff that is dedicated to helping us become the best speakers we can be.”
She said it was great to see individual achievement throughout the whole team at the competition.
Sarah Martin, a freshman English education major, won duo interpretation champion and novice prose champion. She said it was truly amazing to be a state champion.
“I could hardly believe it,” Martin said. “Winning is fun because I work so hard in my speeches, so it’s nice to be rewarded for that work.”
All three members, Seitz, Fant and Martin, said they enjoy the closeness of the team. Fant and Martin said it’s like being part of a family.
Ball State and the speech team will be hosting the National Forensics Association public speaking championships April 14-18, according to a campus-wide email.
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