JMU Speech Team Places in Top 15 at Nationals; National Runner-Up in Impromptu

The JMU Speech Team placed 14th in the nation (the highest team placement for JMU since 2009) earlier this month at the National Speech Tournament in Portland, OR.  JMU Speech competes against teams representing college and universities from all around the nation, regardless of athletic division, school size, Carnegie research classification, or funding. 

Some notable highlights: 

• Junior Jake Cruz made it to the final round of impromptu speaking, joined by students from the Universities of Texas, Nebraska, Minnesota; Lafayette College; and South Dakota State University. Cruz earned second, making him the national runner-up in the largest event at the tournament. This was the second year in a row that JMU was represented in a national final round, having not seen final-round competition since 2011!

• Senior Sam Rooker advanced to the semifinal round of impromptu speaking (top 12 speaker in the nation) and was also named to the AFA-NST All-American Team.

• Senior Alex Furlich advanced to the quarterfinal round of after dinner speaking and impromptu speaking (top 24 speaker in the nation for both events).

• Junior theatre major Atlas Richardson advanced to the quarterfinal round of poetry interpretation (top 24 speaker in the nation). 

• Director of Speech, Dr. Mallory Marsh, served as the National Tournament Director.

The national team was composed of the following students from across campus departments, all of whom earned points toward securing the team’s placement:

Seniors

Alex Furlich (Computer Science major; Disability Studies and Cultural Communication minors)

• National Quarterfinalist/Top-24 speaker in After Dinner Speaking

• National Quarterfinalist/Top-24 speaker in Impromptu Speaking

Sam Rooker (Intelligence Analysis major; Film Studies, English, and Honors minors)

• National Semifinalist/Top-12 Speaker in Impromptu Speaking

• National All-American Team

Evie Racz (Political Science major; Sociology minor)

Jacob Brann (Intelligence Analysis and History majors; Political Science, Latin American Latinx & Caribbean Studies, and Spanish minors)

Juniors

Atlas Richardson (Theatre major; Art minor)

• National Quarterfinalist/Top-24 speaker in Poetry Interpretation

Jake Cruz (Political Science major; Disability Studies and Communication Studies minors) 

• National Runner Up (2nd place in the nation) in Impromptu Speaking

Sophomores

Erin Russi (History major; Legal Studies, Communication Studies, and Honors minors)

Sydney Proctor (Health Sciences major; Pre-Med, Communication Studies, and Biology minors)

First-Years

Jackson Howland (Graphic Design and SMAD majors)

Julia Fosnocht (Economics major; Mathematics minor)

Laylah Petit (Computer Information Systems major; Honors and Communication Studies minors)

The team is housed in the School of Communication Studies (SCOM) and is coached by the Director, Dr. Mallory Marsh; Assistant Director, Nathan Selove; Assistant Coaches Grace Smith (M.A. '25) and Katie Gold (M.A. '24), and Graduate Student Kessy Mugabo Kayiganwa. The Speech Team is indebted to the support it receives from SCOM AUH Dr. Lori Britt, SCOM Assistant Chair Lee Mayfield, and CAL Dean Dr. Traci Zimmerman.