By Laurie Merrill
GCU News Bureau
Barry Regan, director of Grand Canyon University’s Speech and Debate Team, has been honored for his exemplary efforts in leading one of GCU’s top teams.
Regan, a College of Humanities and Social Sciences instructor, received the 2016 Pacific Southwest Collegiate Forensics Association (PSCFA) Wyman-Howe Coach of the Year Award, voted on by a panel of coaches in the group.
“I was extremely humbled,” Regan said. “I really appreciate the backing my colleagues here at GCU have provided me, and without that love and support I certainly would not have won the award.”
He received the award at the recent PSCFA Fall Championship Tournament Orange Coast College, in Costa Mesa, Calif., where the team finished second out of 15 four-year universities.
Matthew Calderwood became the first GCU freshman to win the parliamentary debate open division.
Senior Tatum Kaiser and sophomore Thomas Gleason won the gold medal in the novice division. Other top finishers included seniors Thomas Rotering and Zachary Kuykendall, junior Taylor Alandzes and sophomores Jasmin Sharp and Kara Sutton.
On the speech side, Gleason took second in persuasive speaking, and Kaiser was third and sophomore TaylorRae Humbert was fourth in open prose interpretation.
Speech showcase
During a recent Speech and Debate showcase at GCU, six team members presented brief speeches on social issues.
Kaiser, Humbert, Gleason, freshmen Grace Laidlaw and Danny Williamson and sophomore Keliann Nash performed their pieces before a packed audience in the Colangelo College of Business lecture hall.
The team’s next competition is Jan. 6-8 in the Mile High Invitational at the University of Utah.
Contact Laurie Merrill at (602) 639-6511 or [email protected].
