Category: National Circuit Results Page 1 of 12

On November 14, 2024

This year’s Florida Blue Key, held on November 1-3 on the campus of the University of Florida, drew a field of 68 extempers. Most attendees were from Florida but extempers from North Carolina, Texas, New York, California, and Ohio made the trip for the second fourth tier tournament in this year’s National Points Race.

Sven Stumbauer of Christopher Columbus High School (FL) won a very divided final round, defeating #6 Al Zaidi of Holy Trinity Episcopal School (FL) by two ranks to claim the title. Stumbauer took one first place rank in finals, as did Zaidi. That made secondary ranks important as Stumbauer took two second place ranks while Zaidi, pulled two third place ranks.

Kate Liu of Plano West Senior High School (TX) was the highest finishing non-Floridian, taking third place. She finished four ranks back of Stumbauer and two of Zaidi, taking the other available first place rank in the final round.

Of the three remaining finalists, #5 Sahana Srikanth of Mason High School (OH) was most notable because of reaching a third National Points Race final round this year, more than any other competitor to this point in the season. Srikanth took sixth, seven ranks back of Shriya Dharmapurikar of Durham Academy (NC) and two back of Rohan Dash of Pine View School (NC).

There were several notable extempers in the field who did not reach the final round. #8 Charlotte Reitman of NSU University School (FL) was defending champion but dropped in quarter-finals. #7 Daphne Kalir-Starr of the College Preparatory School (CA) and #16 Kai Forbach of Durham made it to semi-finals.

Jonah Downs of Trinity Preparatory School (FL) was the winner of the Blue Key Round Robin held before the tournament. Downs defeated Pranav Gorty of Plano East Senior High School (TX) by two ranks after four rounds of competition. Gorty would reach quarter-finals of the general tournament while Downs did not clear out of preliminaries.

This year’s Blue Key was upgraded to fourth tier status so all extempers who reached semi-finals will earn National Points Race points. Stumbauer earns 70 points as the winner. No credit is awarded for the Blue Key Round Robin. New National Points Race standings will be released tomorrow night.

Here are the results of the 2024 Florida Blue Key (Click here for tab sheet):

2024 New York City Invitational: National Champions Shouldice and Babu Split Tournament Championship and the Final Round

On October 24, 2024

63 extempers, mostly from the Northeast, entered the 54th edition of the New York City Invitational last weekend in New York City. The Bronx High School of Science hosted the event.

The tournament ended with a final round clash of defending national champions. Tea Shouldice of Half Hollow Hills High School East (NY), the defending National Speech and Debate Association (NSDA) national champion in United States Extemp, defeated the defending NSDA International Extemp champion Anthony Babu of Concord-Carlisle High School (NY) by one rank. Shouldice and Babu each won two first place ranks among the five judge panel in finals and Babu won the final round by one rank. However, due to the tournament’s cumulative nature through preliminary rounds Shouldice was declared the winner.

Al Zaidi of Holy Trinity Episcopal School (FL), a semi-finalist at Yale, placed third. Zaidi finished five ranks back of Shouldice.

The only sophomore in the final round, Daphne Kalir-Starr of the College Preparatory School (CA), also a Yale semi-finalist, finished fourth. Kalir-Starr took the one first place rank in the final round that was not won by Shouldice and Babu, needing it to win a tiebreaker over Aparna Iyer of Ridge High School (NJ). Iyer was in their second National Points Race final of the year after finishing third at Yale.

Kai Forbach of Durham Academy (NC) finished sixth.

The tournament was a fifth tier event in the National Points Race so only those extempers who reached the final round will earn points. Shouldice will earn 40 points for her win. The first National Points Race standings of the season will be posted tomorrow evening.

Here are the results of the 2024 New York City Invitational (Click here for tab sheet):

2024 Yale Invitational: Zhang Wins Second Consecutive Title in Another Close Finish

On September 26, 2024

A massive field of 114 extempers gathered for last weekend’s Yale Invitational, the kickoff to the extemporaneous speaking season in New England and the second National Points Race event on the 2024-2025 calendar.

The in-person event had familiar faces as three of the finalists were also in the final round of the online National Speech and Debate Season Opener. Robert Zhang of Elkins High School (TX) notched another national circuit win, winning a tiebreaker over fellow Texan Waleed Haider of Hendrickson High School. Zhang and Haider, who entered elimination rounds with six others in first place, ended the tournament with identical composites in the cumulative tournament that counts ranks from preliminary rounds through the final round. The tie was broken by final round performance, which Zhang won by two ranks. That happened despite Haider capturing two first place ranks among the five final round judges, making him the only finalist to win multiple first place ranks. Zhang follows in the footsteps of Amy Cao of Ridge High School (NJ), who won the first two National Points Race tournaments last year.

One rank behind Zhang and Haider was Aparna Iyer of Ridge High School, who came close to delivering the school its second Yale championship in as many years. And two more ranks behind was Charlotte Reitman of NSU University School (FL). Reitman won two National Points Race events last year at the Florida Blue Key and the University of Kentucky Tournament of Champions (TOC).

Anish Mehta of Scarsdale High School (NY) and Sahana Srikanth of Mason High School (OH) finished much further back of Zhang by 17 and 22 ranks, respectively. Srikanth was making a second National Points Race final round this season after coming within one rank of defeating Zhang at the Season Opener.

Tea Shouldice of Half Hollow Hills East High School (NY), the defending National Speech and Debate Association (NSDA) National Champion in United States Extemp, started her season off with a semi-final finish.

Scarsdale High School the best showing among schools in attendance, placing six extempers in the elimination rounds.

Since Yale was a fourth tier event all of the extempers who reached finals and semi-finals will earn points. The first National Points Race standings will be released after the New York City Invitational in a few weeks, thereby giving the initial release more data.

2024 National Speech and Debate Season Opener Hosted by the University of Kentucky: Zhang Claims First Victory of the New Season, Third Judge Denies Srikanth Victory

On September 12, 2024

The 2024-2025 national circuit season started virtually last weekend with the National Speech and Debate Season Opener hosted by the University of Kentucky. 56 extempers were part of this year’s tournament, substantially more than the last few editions since the COVID-19 pandemic.

The event’s online nature allowed extempers from across the country to participate in the first National Points Race event of the year. And three extempers from the final top 25 made the final round. Robert Zhang of Elkins High School (TX), who finished eighth in the standings last season, won the tournament, defeating Sahana Srikanth of Mason High School (OH) by two ranks. Srikanth took two of the three available first place ranks in the final round but was undone by a sixth place rank from the other judge. That resulted in a composite score of eight, which Zhang overcame with second place ranks from all three judges.

Waleed Haider of Hendrickson High School (TX), the winner of a National Points Race event last season and the sixth place finisher in the National Points Race, notched a third place finish. Haider finished four ranks behind Zhang’s winning score.

Kajal Parmar of Cary Academy (NC) was the other extemper from last year’s top 25 in the final round. Parmer finished twenty-first in last year’s National Points Race and ended the Season Opener one rank outside of the top three.

Andrew Zheng of Acalanes High School (CA) took the other available first place rank in the final round but the other two judges did not concur with that ranking so he finished fifth, one place behind Parmar and four ranks ahead of sixth place finisher Eashan Kosaraju of Solon High School (OH).

Other prominent finishers at the tournament included a quarter-finalist placing for defending NSDA International Extemp National Champion Anthony Babu of Concord-Carlisle High School (MA) and Ellie Sohn of Flintridge Preparatory School (CA). Sohn finished last year’s National Points Race in nineteenth place.

The Speech and Debate Season Opener was a fifth tier event so only the extempers who reached the final round will earn points. The first National Points Race standings will be released after the New York City Invitational in October.

Here are the results of the 2024 National Speech and Debate Season Opener Hosted by the University of Kentucky (Click here for tab sheet):

2024 Extemp TOC: Morel Returns Plano West to the Winner’s Circle, Beats 40 Other Competitors to Win the Season’s Second Major

By admin

On May 21, 2024

In Extemp TOC, National Circuit Results

This year’s Tournament of Champions of Extemporaneous Speaking, hosted by Northwestern University, attracted a disappointing field of only 41 extempers for the national extemp circuit’s second major championship.

Sasha Morel of Plano West Senior High School (TX) won a decisive victory, beating Kajal Parmar of Cary Academy (NC) by eight ranks in the final round. Morel earned five of the seven available first place ranks.

Devarsh Borah of Edina High School (MN) rounded out the top three with a third place finish. Borah finished four ranks behind Parmar.

#12 Taylor Burris of the Potomac School (VA) was the highest ranked competitor in the field and made the final round, placing sixth. The only other ranked competitor in the National Points Race who made elimination rounds was #18 Kate Liu of Plano East Senior High School (TX), who dropped in semi-finals.

Even though the field did not attract many of the extempers in the top 25 of the National Points Race, the final round featured extempers from five states.

Plano West had two extempers in the final as Abraham Zhang took fifth.

Morel is the first Plano West extemper to win the TOC since Jacqueline Wei in 2019. Plano West has had three champions at the event, including Morel, since 2018. The school also won the tournament’s sweepstakes award.

All of the extempers that reached elimination rounds will earn National Points Race points.

Here are the results of the 2024 Tournament of Champions of Extemporaneous Speaking (Click here for tab sheet):

2024 University of Kentucky Tournament of Champions: Reitman Wins Second National Points Event of the Year; Haider Takes Second

On April 25, 2024

In National Circuit Results, UK TOC

The national circuit resumed after taking a two-month pause for state championship competitions. 89 competitors attended this year’s University of Kentucky Tournament of Champions (TOC), kicking off the post-season phase of the National Points Race.

#17 Charlotte Reitman of NSU University School (FL) won her second National Points Race tournament of the season, winning the final round over #4 Waleed Haider of Hendrickson High School (TX) by two ranks. Nick Pienkos of Marquette University School (WI) finished third, one rank behind Haider and three back of Reitman.

Reitman is the first Florida extemper to win the UK TOC since Justin Graham of Trinity Preparatory School, who won in 2016.

The final round was close as five extempers each received a first place rank. What clinched the title for Reitman was receiving two second place ranks while other competitors received a worse mixture of ranks from the panel.

#15 Tyler Crivella of Seven Lakes High School (TX) finished fourth and #19 Ellie Sohn of Flintidge Preparatory School (CA) took fifth. Crivella was appearing in his third National Points Race final round of the year while Sohn was appearing in her fourth.

Arya Goyal of Scarsdale High School (NY) finished sixth.

Several other extempers in the top 25 made the trip to Lexington for last weekend’s event. #9 Abhijay Rana of Bellarmine College Preparatory (CA) dropped in semi-finals while #2 Brandon Cheng of Flintridge Preparatory, #12 Taylor Burris of the Potomac School (VA), and #16 Austin Bauman of Bellarmine College Preparatory made it to the quarter-final round.

Since the UK TOC was a third tier event, Reitman will receive 100 points for winning and all competitors who reached elimination rounds will earn National Points Race points. The next National Points Race competition will take place next weekend in Evanston, Illinois when Northwestern University hosts the Tournament of Champions of Extemporaneous Speaking, the season’s second major championship.

Here are the results of the 2024 University of Kentucky Tournament of Champions (Click here for tab sheet):

2024 California Invitational: Bauman Retains Bellarmine’s Hold on Championship, Spoils Tsoi’s Bid for Two National Points Race Wins by 1 Rank

On February 29, 2024

Bellarmine College Preparatory (CA) has made it a habit of winning the California Invitational, taking three of the last five titles and this year was no different as Austin Bauman outlasted 129 other extempers to win the last National Points Race tournament of the regular season.

The tournament was cumulative from prelims and Bauman’s lead going into the final round allowed him to take the title as he won by one rank over #13 Evelyn Tsoi of Velasquez Academy (CA), who was appearing in her third National Points Race final round this season. Tsoi, who won the United States Extemp half of the James Logan MLK Invitational last month, won the final round but that was not enough to claim the overall tournament title even though Bauman took fourth in finals.

Like last year’s tournament, the final rankings of the tournament were close as #15 Abhijay Rana of Bellarmine, the winner of the International Extemp half at MLK, was a mere three ranks behind Tsoi. And Katherine Peckham of Westwood High School (TX), the only non-Californian in the final round, was one rank behind Rana. Peckham was runner-up to Tsoi in the final round after taking three first place ranks from the five judge panel and they made the biggest leap in the tournament from prelims to finals after they only cleared into elimination rounds by two ranks. Only a fourth and fifth place rank in the final round kept them out of the top three.

Bauman’s win was the second in a row for Bellarmine at the tournament after #7 Rohit Vakkalagadda won last season. Vakkalagadda’s bid for a second consecutive title, a feat that has not been done in 11 years, ended in prelims as he missed the break to elimination rounds by one rank.

Ethan Chen of Monte Vista High School (CA) took fifth place, finishing six ranks behind Peckham. And #17 Ellie Sohn of Flintridge Preparatory School (CA) reached her third National Points Race final round of the year and placed sixth. Sohn led the tournament after prelims.

Isaiah Sohn of Redlands High School (CA) and Ali Malik of Monta Vista High School (CA) were not able to replicate their final round finishes at last year’s California Invitational. Sohn dropped in quarter-finals and Mailk in octa-finals.

#23 Joy Hu of the Harker School in the tournament field but was not able to reach elimination rounds. Like Vakkalagadda, she missed the break by one rank.

Since the California Invitational was a third tier event, Bauman will receive 100 points for his victory and all extempers who reached quarter-finals will receive points. New National Points Race standings will be posted by next weekend.

Here are the results of the 2024 California Invitational (Click here for tab sheet):

2024 Harvard National Speech & Debate Tournament: Peddi Breaks Through at Last Regular Season National Points Race Tournament, Wins Final Four Against Three National Points Race Champions

On February 27, 2024

239 extempers made up the largest field of a National Points Race this season when Harvard University hosted its annual National Speech and Debate Tournament on February 17-20 in Cambridge, Massachusetts. As a result of the high number of entries, the tournament was a second tier event.

#1 Sruti Peddi of BASIS Scottsdale (AZ) won the championship in commanding fashion, earning a six-rank final round victory that saw her earn four of the five available first place ranks. It is Peddi’s first National Points Race title this year after she made four previous final round appearances. Her victory marks the second consecutive time that an Arizona extemper has won Harvard as McKinley Paltzik won the title last season. And the 150 points she earned with this victory will enlarge her National Points Race lead.

Peddi won a final round against three other National Points Race winners. Second place was earned by #11 Waleed Haider of Hendrickson High School (TX), who won the United States Extemp half of the University of Texas Longhorn Classic in December. Haider swept up a majority of the second place ranks in the final round and was five ranks clear of the rest of the competition.

George Mason University Patriot Games winner Siri Ural of Shrewsbury High School (MA) earned a third place ranking, three ranks ahead of #18 Taylor Burris of the Potomac School (VA) and four ranks ahead of Stanford International Extemp winner #2 Brandon Cheng of Flintridge Preparatory School (CA). Burris and Cheng were separated by a mere rank for fourth place. Burris made her third National Points Race final round of the season while Cheng made his fifth.

Paul Fertig of Mounds Park Academy (MN) finished sixth, reaching a National Points Race final round for the second time this season. Fertig also finished sixth at the Apple Valley Minneapple Speech Tournament two weeks before Harvard.

While the final round featured a good number of previous winners this season, many ranked extempers were found in earlier elimination rounds and will earn National Points Race points. #12 Skyler Burrus of the American Heritage School – Palm Beach (FL) and #14 Kate Liu of Plano East High School (TX) made semi-finals, Glenbrooks champion #6 Lishore Kumar of Tomball Memorial High School (TX) and #25 Ishika Kothari of Plano East reached quarter-finals, and #3 Robert Zhang of Elkins High School (TX) qualified for octa-finals.

Due to the large number of competitors at Harvard, a few ranked competitors missed qualifying for elimination rounds. These included #10 Amy Cao of Ridge High School (NJ) and #19 Ronak Patel of American Heritage School – Broward (FL).

Here are the results of the 2024 Harvard National Speech and Debate Tournament (Click here for tab sheet):

2024 Stanford Invitational: Flintridge Preparatory’s Cheng and Sohn Have Impressive Performances; Cheng and Abrams win IX and USX in Online Event

On February 15, 2024

The 37th annual Stanford Invitational took place online last weekend, hosted by Stanford University’s Stanford Student Enterprises division. The online nature of the tournament made it accessible to extempers throughout the country and 76 competitors battled in International Extemp and 58 entries did the same in United States Extemp.

Flintridge Preparatory School (CA) had a great tournament. #4 Brandon Cheng and Ellie Sohn led the way, taking the top two spots in International Extemp. The duo also placed second and fourth, respectively, in United States Extemp, giving them the best performances across both extemp categories.

Cheng captured his first National Points Race title in four final round appearances, beating Sohn by five ranks in the final round. Cheng only took one first place rank but his consistency was much better than other competitors, solidifying the win.

Second through sixth place in International Extemp was separated by a mere four ranks, attesting to how judges split in their decisions. Nathan Cai of Brophy College Preparatory (AZ) was third, Prajval Kesireddy of Solon High School (OH) was fourth, James Logan MLK United States Extemp winner #16 Evelyn Tsoi of Velasquez Academy (CA) was fifth, and Joy Hu of the Harker School (CA) placed sixth.

Kesireddy captured two of the five available first place ranks in the final round but scooped up fifth and sixth place ranks from the other three judges, dooming their composite score.

In United States Extemp, Matthew Abrams of George Washington High School (CO) won a four-rank win over Cheng.

The battle for second through fourth place was tightly contested as Cheng finished second by one rank over Hu and Hu was two ranks ahead of Sohn. Aside from Cheng and Sohn, Hu was the only other extemper to final in both extemp categories.

Robert Fields of the Harker School (CA) and Samuel Ma of Bellarmine College Preparatory (CA) had a tight battle for fifth, with Fields finishing ahead by one rank.

#1 Sruti Peddi of BASIS Scottsdale was in the field but dropped in the semi-finals of both categories. #13 Kate Liu of Plano East High School (TX) entered International Extemp but did not clear to elimination rounds and #14 Abhijay Rana of Bellarmine College Preparatory (CA), who won James Logan’s MLK tournament last month in International Extemp, was eliminated in the semi-final round of International Extemp.

All of the finalists will receive National Points Race points since Stanford was a fifth tier event this year. To prevent double counting, an extemper’s highest finish will be awarded points. Due to the number of entries and if the tournament is online for 2024-2025, it is in the running to move up a tier because of the wide geographic participation of this year’s event compared to prior editions.

Here are the results of the 2024 Stanford Invitational (Click here for tab sheet):

2024 Apple Valley Minneapple Speech Tournament: Lee and Zylstra Notch First National Circuit Wins of the Season

On February 15, 2024

This season was the first that the Apple Valley Minneapple Speech Tournament has been part of the National Points Race. The tournament took place on February 3 in Apple Valley, Minnesota and extempers had the chance to earn points in International and United States Extemp. As expected, the tournament was a big draw for Minnesota schools as well as other schools from Midwestern states like Nebraska and Indiana.

In International Extemp Eunsol Lee of Woodbury High School (MN) captured the title, defeating Mina Bhargava of Edina High School (MN) and Anish Amin of Millard North High School (NE) by two ranks. Bhargava and Amin tied for second, with Bhargava winning a judges’ preference tiebreaker 3-2.

Claire Han of Munster High School (IN), who was previously ranked in the top 25 of the National Points Race, finished fourth, three ranks back of Lee.

Devanshu Shah of Eden Prairie High School (MN) placed fifth and Soren Peterson of Stillwater Area High School (MN) was sixth.

Nick Zylstra of Eastview High School (MN) won a hard fought battle in United States Extemp, defeating Aaimah Khawaja of Lakeville North High School (MN) by one rank. Zylstra only took one of five available first place ranks in the final round but that was enough to win as a fifth place rank doomed Khawaja’s composite score.

Kate Westlake of Woodbury High School finished third, two ranks ahead of fourth place finisher Nithin Palani of Eden Prairie High School and three ranks ahead of fifth place finisher Ella Larson of Moorhead High School (MN).

Paul Fertig of Mounds Park Academy (MN) was the sixth place finisher.

Since the Apple Valley Minneapple was a fifth tier event, all of the finalists in International and United States Extemp will earn National Points Race points. Lee and Zylstra will receive 40 points for their wins.

Here are the results of the 2024 Apple Valley Minneapple Speech Tournament (Click here for tab sheet):

2022 National Speech and Debate Season Opener: Reitman Wins First National Points Race Event of the Year in a Tiebreaker Over Tsoi

On September 14, 2022

For the third straight year, the National and Debate Season Opener, hosted by the University of Kentucky, took place in a virtual environment. The first national circuit event in the country in the National Points Race drew a field of twenty-eight extempers, representing ten states.

Charlotte Reitman of the University School (FL) won a very close final round, winning the tiebreaker of judge’s preference two-to-one over Evelyn Tsoi of Velasquez Academy (CA). Guhan Krishnan of Mason High School (OH) finished one rank behind Reitman and Tsoi.

Lahari Donepudi of Dublin Jerome High School (OH) and Matthew Abrahms of George Washington High School (CO) finished fourth and fifth, respectively, and each earned a first place rank in the final round.

Sam Kang of the Hawken School (OH) rounded out the final round, finishing sixth.

Reitman’s victory nets her forty National Points Race points as the Season Opener is a fifth tier tournament. The first National Points Race standings will be released after the Yale Invitational in early October.

Here are the results of the 2022 National Speech and Debate Season Opener (Click here for tab sheet):

2022 Extemp TOC: Roberts Wins First Major Championship; Veluvali Notches Another Runner-Up Finish

On May 3, 2022

In Extemp TOC, National Circuit Results

This year’s Tournament of Champions in Extemporaneous Speaking, also known on the circuit as the Extemp TOC, attracted a field of forty-four extempers. The competition was hosted by Northwestern University and had to be held online because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

#9 Cameron Roberts of Jack C. Hays High School (TX) won her second National Points Race event of the season, defeating #6 Ananth Veluvali of Edina High School (MN) by four ranks in the final round. The victory is Roberts’ first major championship and earns her 100 points in the National Points Race. Roberts has reached five National Points Race tournament final rounds this year, the second-most of any extemper in the country.

Veluvali, who already has a major championship, finished runner-up for the third consecutive time in a National Points Race tournament. He has also notched runner-up finishes in the season’s first two majors.

Kevin Li of Ridge High School (NJ) finished third, seven ranks behind Veluvali and eleven behind Roberts.

Fourth place went to Raghav Ramki of Plano East Senior High School (TX), who finished four ranks ahead of Pierce McDade of Normal University School (IL).

#21 Phoena Lin of Plano West Senior High School (TX) was the third ranked extemper to reach the final round. She finished sixth in her second national circuit final of the season.

As with the University of Kentucky Tournament of Champions (TOC) there were a few notables who did not reach finals. These included #1 Daniel Kind of Lake Highland Preparatory School (FL), who missed the final round by one rank after taking two sixth place ranks in semi-finals. #24 Theodore Gercken of College Preparatory School (CA), the lone California extemper in the field because this year’s TOC clashed with the California state tournament, dropped in quarter-finals. And #14 Olivia Wetzel of Whitmer High School (OH) missed clearing to quarter-finals by one rank.

#16 Mukta Dharmapurikar of Durham Academy (NC) did not attend the tournament to defend her champinship.

The TOC awards a sweepstakes trophy, which was won by Edina High School. Second place went to Plano East and third was taken by Ridge High School.

Since the TOC is a third tier event in the National Points Race, all extempers who reached elimination rounds will receive points. New standings will be released later this week.

All non-senior extempers who cleared to elimination rounds are automatically qualified for next year’s TOC.

Here are the results from the 2022 Tournament of Champions in Extemporaneous Speaking (Click here for tab sheet):

2022 University of Kentucky Tournament of Champions: Paltzik Wins Fourth National Points Race Championship of the Season, Jin Takes Second

On April 28, 2022

In National Circuit Results, UK TOC

The University of Kentucky hosted its annual Tournament of Champions (TOC) last weekend, drawing a crowded and distinguished field of ninety-seven extempers from around the country. The tournament took place in an online environment due to ongoing complications from the COVID-19 pandemic.

#3 McKinley Paltzik of Phoenix Country Day School (AZ), who won last month’s Montgomery Bell Academy Extemp Round Robin, won her second consecutive national circuit event, defeating #19 Michelle Jin of the Harker School (CA) by three ranks. It is the fourth National Points Race tournament that Paltzik has won this season and keeps her perfect record of winning tournaments intact when she reaches the final round.

Jin notched her second top three finish of the season and her fourth National Points Race final round appearance, tying a host of other extempers for fourth-most on the year.

Defending NCFL National Champion #10 Ananth Veluvali of Edina High School (MN) took third, finishing one rank behind Jin and four behind Paltzik. Veluvali notched a close second finish to Paltzik last month at MBA. His three National Points Race final rounds this year have all been top three finishes.

Three more ranks separated Veluvali from James Cullen of Chaminda High School (NY), who finished fourth. On his heels were Alex Sorgini of La Salle High School (PA) and Kush Narang of Bellarmine College Preparatory (CA), who finished fifth and sixth, respectively.

A consequence of the strong field at this year’s TOC is that there were many top ranked extempers that fell before reaching the final round. #5 William Chien of the Harker School, #16 Olivia Wetzel of Whitmer High School (OH), and #23 Majid Shabbeer of Bellarmine College Preparatory (CA) dropped in semifinals. #2 Marc Zavarro of Western High School (FL) and #18 Natasha Banga of Coppell High School (TX) dropped in quarter-finals. And #12 Gabriel Bo of Plano West Senior High School (TX). #13 Thomas Vandenberg of Flintridge Preparatory School (CA), and #21 Francis Olakangil of Bellarmine dropped in octa-finals.

Since the UK TOC is a fourth tier tournament in the National Points Race, all extempers who reached the semi-finals and beyond will earn National Points Race points. The large participation in this year’s TOC, as well as the quality of its field, will upgrade its standing in next year’s National Points Race.

In addition, all of the non-senior finalists at this year’s TOC earn an automatic invitation to next year’s tournament.

Here are the results of the 2022 University of Kentucky Tournament of Champions (Click here for tab sheet):

2022 Montgomery Bell Academy Extemp Round Robin: Paltzik Fends Off Veluvali, Captures the Season’s First Major Championship