Cedarville University's nationally recognized forensics team added another impressive victory to its championship tradition, winning eight titles and overwhelming the competition at a speech and debate tournament hosted by Otterbein University in Westerville, Ohio, from Oct. 24-25. Cedarville finished first overall with 350 points, outdistancing second-place winner Ball State University by 150 points. The decisive victory highlighted the team's depth and competitive excellence across public speaking, oral interpretation and debate.
This latest achievement builds on Cedarville's growing reputation of having one of the nation's leading collegiate forensics programs, following back-to-back Ohio state championships and a national championship in 2025.
"This was an exceptional performance by our students, and I couldn't be prouder of the way they represented Cedarville," said Eric Mishne, assistant professor of communication and director of forensics. "Winning eight championships across such a wide range of events demonstrates the depth of this team and the tremendous effort these students put into preparing for competition. Their success is a reflection of their hard work, commitment to excellence and desire to use their communication abilities in meaningful ways."
Eight Championships Showcase Team's Depth
Cedarville's dominance extended across nearly every category of competition, with students earning championships in individual speaking, interpretation and debate events.
Emily Martin (Springfield, Missouri) led the championship performances, winning after-dinner speaking and partnering with Thomas Hemp (Gray, Tennessee) to capture first place in duo interpretation. Laura Ball (Harker Heights, Texas) earned the championship in communication analysis, while Isaac Piper (Coatesville, Pennsylvania) claimed the open impromptu speaking title.
Liliana Printz (Urbana, Ohio) won prose interpretation, an event that challenges competitors to bring written literature to life through expressive oral performance.
Cedarville also demonstrated its strength in debate. Daisy Holland (Medford, Oregon) captured the novice debate championship, while Eva Storz (Lowell, Massachusetts) won the varsity debate title. Isaiah DeWitt (Cedarville, Ohio) earned the top novice debate speaker award, completing Cedarville's eight championship honors.
Beyond the first-place finishes, Cedarville students advanced to the final rounds in numerous additional events, contributing to the team's commanding overall victory.
Storz reached the finals in communication analysis, while Chase Grim (Mechanicsburg, Ohio) was a finalist in dramatic interpretation. Four Cedarville students — Joshua Parker (Gilbert, Arizona), Martin, Piper and Storz — advanced to the finals in extemporaneous speaking.
Jonah Margolis (Palatine, Illinois) and DeWitt earned finalist honors in novice impromptu speaking, while Holland and Sarah Smith (Delphi, Indiana) reached the finals in radio broadcasting.
Cedarville's debate program also produced additional finalists, including Parker, Ball, Grim, Martin, DeWitt and Mara Scudder (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania).
The breadth of these performances helped Cedarville outscore Ball State by 75%, demonstrating the team's ability to compete successfully across multiple disciplines rather than relying on a handful of individual competitors.
Building on a National Championship Tradition
The Otterbein victory continues more than a decade of competitive success for Cedarville's forensics program, which has established itself as a consistent contender at state and national tournaments.
In 2016, Cedarville captured its second National Christian College Forensics Association Division II championship in three years, demonstrating the program's ability to compete successfully against Christian colleges and universities nationwide.
The program continued building on that foundation in 2024, winning the novice national debate championship while its readers theatre team captured a third consecutive national title.
Cedarville reached another milestone in March 2025, when it won the National Christian College Forensics Association's overall national championship at Howard Payne University in Brownwood, Texas. The team earned 45% of the available tournament points, captured 13 individual first-place finishes and received the tournament's Quality Award for competitive excellence relative to the number of entries.
That national success has been matched by strong performances against colleges and universities throughout Ohio.
In February 2026, Cedarville successfully defended its Ohio Forensics Association overall state championship, winning the combined speech and debate title for the second consecutive year. The team produced nine individual state champions and 38 finalists, further establishing its position among Ohio's strongest collegiate forensics programs.
Under Mishne's leadership since 2019, Cedarville students have continued to develop their competitive abilities while strengthening the communication and critical thinking skills essential to professional and personal success.
Preparing Students To Communicate With Conviction
While tournament championships provide visible evidence of Cedarville's success, the university's forensics program emphasizes a broader purpose: preparing students to communicate effectively, think critically and engage others with clarity, confidence and integrity.
Competitive forensics requires students to research complex topics, organize persuasive arguments, respond to unexpected questions and present ideas before judges and audiences. Debate challenges competitors to understand differing viewpoints and defend their positions through evidence and sound reasoning.
These experiences reinforce Cedarville's commitment to academic excellence and intentional discipleship, equipping students with communication skills that extend far beyond collegiate competition. The Otterbein victory represents another significant accomplishment for a program that continues to build on its championship legacy while preparing students for professional leadership, service and Gospel impact.
Cedarville University, an evangelical Christian institution in southwest Ohio, offers undergraduate and graduate residential and online programs across arts, sciences and professional fields. With 7,542 students, it is among Ohio's largest private universities and is ranked among the nation’s top five evangelical universities in the Wall Street Journal’s 2027 Best Colleges in the U.S. Cedarville is also known for its vibrant Christian community, challenging academics and high graduation and retention rates. Learn more at cedarville.edu.