History

The California Baptist University forensics team has had a long tradition of success. For more than 40 years, the CBU forensics team has been improving the abilities of speakers, aiding in the intellectual growth of students, producing great critical thinkers and winning national championships. A few of the team's many successes include:

• Winning 2nd place in our division in both Debate and Individual Events at the 2021 National Christian College Forensics Invitational
• Winning 1st place in individual events (Division 2) at the 2020 National Christian College Forensics Invitational
• Winning 4th place overall (3rd place in debate) at the 2007 NCCFI
• Winning 1st place in individual events at the 2003 National Christian College Forensics Invitational 
• Winning 1st place at the 1999 Southwestern/Sunset Cliffs Classic swing, one of the largest tournaments in the country
• Winning 1st place at the 1997 Todd Lewis Invitational at Biola University

In addition, CBU has produced over 20 individual national championships in debate and individual events since 1998. They include:

• 1998
  • Tony Harris & Patrick Thompson—Open Duo Interpretation
  • Tony Harris—Open Communication Analysis
  • David Warren—Open Impromptu Speaking
  • Michael Hoffman & Troy Lewis—Novice Duo Interpretation
    (Tony Harris was the 2nd place Top Speaker)
• 1999
  • Samantha Swindall—Open Prose Interpretation
  • Tony Harris—Open Speech to Entertain
• 2000
  • Mike Marse—Open Speech to Entertain
  • Carl Simmons—Open Impromptu Speaking
  • Rose Boydsten—Open Persuasion
  • Rebecca Coleman—Novice Speech to Entertain
  • Mike Marse—Top Speaker Senior Parliamentary Debate
• 2001
  • Rose Boydsten—Open Informative Speaking
  • James Miller—Novice Dramatic Interpretation
    (Nick Peterson—2nd place Top Speaker Senior Parliamentary Debate)
• 2003
  • Mary Pryfogle—Open Programmed Oral Interpretation
  • Crystal Lane Swift—Open Poetry Interpretation
  • Crystal Lane Swift & Shaunte Caraballo—Open Duo Interpretation
  • Crystal Lane Swift—Top I.E. Speaker/National Champion
• 2004
  • Shaunte Caraballo—Open Faith Literature Interpretation
• 2005
  • Mary Pryfogle—Open Faith Literature Interpretation
• 2007
  • Megan Michael—Novice Speech to Entertain
• 2008
  • Alise Ayock, Stephanie Gomez, Joshua Kammert and Molly Powers—Reader's Theater
• 2012
  • Alex Lamascus—Open Lincoln-Douglas Debate
  • Matthew Phillips—Novice Lincoln-Douglas Debate
• 2014
  • Matthew Phillips—2nd place in Open Lincoln-Douglas Debate
• 2015
  • Caleb Sutherlin—Novice Lincoln-Douglas Debate
  • Fernanda DeLaO—2nd place in Open Lincoln-Douglas Debate
• 2020
  • Jordan Sandoval - Novice Communication Analysis
• 2021
  • Dylan Jacobs - Novice Impromptu Speaking
  • Dylan Jacobs - Novice Extemporaneous Speaking

For more information on the CBU forensics team, contact Professor Marse at (951) 343-4207, or email him at mmarse@calbaptist.edu.