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CANYON, Texas – The West Texas A&M University Forensics Team picked up several awards in a recent virtual tournament in Chicago.

The team’s three competitors in extemporaneous speaking took the top three placings at the Chicago Swing tournament on Oct. 16, with Isaac Doty, freshman sociology major from Lubbock, in first place; Alejandro “AJ” Mata, sophomore political science major from Hereford, in second; and Zyna Abjuma, freshman political science major from Amarillo, in third. With this placing, Doty qualified for the national tournament in April.

In addition to these awards, Tearanee’ Lockhart, sophomore broadcast journalism major from Amarillo, won first in for impromptu speaking, qualifying for the national tournament in April. Mata also won second place for oral interpretation.

With their strong showings, Mata and Doty placed first and fifth in the individual sweeps, respectively, leading the WTAMU team to victory in the tournament.

On the second day of the tournament, Abjuma broke into her first official final round in extemporaneous speaking and placed sixth, while Doty placed second in communication analysis. Abjuma also placed second in persuasive speaking, while Mata placed third in oral interpretation and Lockhart placed second in prose interpretation. The team placed second for the day and second for the weekend in team sweepstakes.

About the WT Department of Communication
The WT Department of Communication houses two undergraduate programs: communication studies and media communication, with three areas of emphasis in each program as well as the option to seek teacher certification in speech or journalism. The master’s program offers two areas of emphasis: one in communication and one in media management. Both can be completed online. For more information on the department, visit wtamu.edu/academics/college-fine-arts-humanities/department-communication/index.html.

About West Texas A&M University

WT is located in Canyon, Texas, on a 342-acre residential campus. 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 about 10,000 and offers 60 undergraduate degree programs, 40 master’s degrees 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.