Forensics outside Schofield

Forensics Alumni

Once a member, always a member

Our Forensics team works hand-in-hand with their alumni, a group of talented individuals who give back so much to their team. Some alumni stay around to coach the team, while others make frequent trips back to UWEC to assist with team events, judge at nearby tournaments, or attend Alumni Work Weekend. With this team being one of the oldest in national history, we've had many members come and go. We're lucky many of our alumni have stayed in touch with us and have continued to help and influence who we are.

Who are the past members?

1950's alumni
1954
  • 1946-1954 –Norbert J. Tlachac (I.D., Impromptu, Extemp, After-Dinner, POI)
1960's alumni

No alumni on record at this time.

1970's alumni
1976
  • 1974-1976 –Janet (Sirianni) Driever (After-Dinner, Poetry, DI, Duo, Prose)
1978
  • 1974-1978 –Kurt Hedlund (I.D.)
1979
  • 1975-1979 –Robin (Hill) Rowan (Informative, Poetry, POI, DI, Prose)
1980's alumni
1980
  • 1978-1980 –Lisa (Huber) Johnson (Informative, Impromptu, Extemp, Persuasion, CA, Duo, Prose)
1985
  • 1983-1985 –Steve Jackson (Impromptu, Extemp, Persuasion, Poetry, CA, DI, Duo, Prose)
  • 1984-1985 –Tracy (Pederson) Nightingale (Extemp, Poetry, Duo)
1986
  • 1981-1986 –Mark Jenkins (Info, Impromptu, Persuasion, Poetry, Drama, Duo, Prose)
  • 1982-1986 –Beth Moberg-Wolff (Info, Impromptu, Persuasion, Poetry, CA, Duo, Prose)
1987
  • 1985-1987 –Greg LeGault
1988
  • 1986-1988 –John Lewitzke (Poetry, Duo, Prose)
1989
  • 1985-1989 –Alan Jalowitz (Info, Impromptu, Extemp, ADS, Persuasion, Poetry, CA, DI, Duo, Prose)
1990's alumni
1994
  • 1992-1994 –Brian Holtenbeck (Informative, Extemp, Impromptu, Duo, Rhet Crit)
  • 1989-1991/1993-1994 –Shayna (Bloom) Rutland (Informative, Persuasion, Poetry, Duo, Prose)
1995
  • 1991-1995 –Adam Hafdahl (Persuasion, Poetry, POI, DI, Duo, Prose)
1996
  • 1992-1996 –Judine Brey (Informative, Impromptu, Extemp, After-Dinner, Persuasion, Poetry, CA, Duo, Prose)
  • 1992-1996 –Shawn Harris (I.D., Informative, Impromptu, Extemp, Persuasion, Poetry, CA, Duo, Prose)
  • 1993-1996 –Melissa Whitmore (Informative, After-Dinner, POI, Prose)

1997
  • 1993-1997 –Nicole Defenbaugh (Informative, Impromptu, Extemp, After-Dinner Persuasion, CA, DI, Duo, Prose)
1998
  • 1995-1998 –Anna Hackel (Informative, Impromptu, Poetry, CA, POI, DI, Duo, Prose)
1999
  • 1995-1999 –Melanie (Miller) Carlson (Informative, After-Dinner, Persuasion, Poetry, POI, Duo, Prose)
  • 1995-1999 –Liah (Hooker) Mize (Informative, Impromptu, Extemp, After-Dinner, Persuasion, Poetry, CA, Duo)
2000's alumni
2001
  • 1997-2001 –Jodi Becker (Informative, Impromptu, After-Dinner, Persuasion, Poetry, CA, POI, Duo, Prose)
  • 1997-2001 –Cate Dunham (Informative, Impromptu, Extemp, After-Dinner, Persuasion, CA, Prose)
  • 2000-2001 –Becky Flanders (Poetry, Informative, Prose, After-Dinner, DI)
  • 1997-2001 –Arwen Rassmussen
  • 1997-2001 –Reid Sollberger
2002
  • 2000-2002 –Brian Haapala (Informative, Persuasion, After-Dinner, CA, Prose, Poetry, DI, POI, Duo)
  • 1998-2002 –Eric Rasmussen
  • 1998-2002 –Aaron Unseth (Informative, After-Dinner, Persuasion, Poetry, CA, POI, DI, Duo, Prose)
  • 1998-2002 –Arwen Williams
2003
  • 2000-2003 –Amy Braun (Prose, Persuasion, Informative, CA, Extemp)
  • 1999-2003 –Scott Boras (Prose, Poetry, Duo, DI, POI, CA, Impromptu)
  • 1999-2003 –Ben Schneider (DI, Duo, Poetry, After-Dinner, CA, Persuasion, Informative, Extemp, Impromptu)
2004
  • 2000-2004 –Brandon Buchanan (Debate-LD and NDT, Informative, Impromptu, Extemp, Persuasion, CA, DI)
2005
  • 2001-2005 –Kelly Bender (Informative, Prose, Duo, Persuasion, POI, After-Dinner, CA, Poetry)
  • 2001-2005 –Andy Bevernitz
  • 2001-2005 –Mandy Dolan
  • 2001-2005 –Dan McNeely (Informative, ADS, Poetry, CA, POI, DI, Duo, Prose)
2006
  • 2002-2006 –Chris Conklin (Inform, Impromptu, Extemp, ADS, Persuasion, Poetry, CA, POI, DI, Duo, Prose)
  • 2002-2006 –Abby Czeskleba (Inform, After-Dinner, Persuasion, Poetry, CA, POI, Duo, Prose)
  • 2004-2006 –Chris Kamrath (Inform, Impromptu, Extemp, After-Dinner, Persuasion, Prose)
  • 2002-2006 –Betsy Schroeder (Inform, Extemp, After-Dinner, Persuasion, CA, POI, DI)
2007
  • 2003-2007 –Amy (Oldakowski) McNeely (CA, Persuasion, Inform, ADS, Impromptu, Extemp, Duo, Poetry)
  • 2003-2007 –Christine Zani (ADS, Inform, Persuasion, Rhet Crit, Prose, Duo, Extemp)
2008
  • 2004-2008 –Hilary Rasmussen (Poetry, POI, DI, Prose, Duo, Inform)
2009
  • 2005-2007 –Julie Germain (Inform, Extemp, Persuasion, CA, DI, Duo, Prose)
  • 2005-2009 –Katie (Nichols) Brunner (Prose, Poetry, Persuasion, Rhet Crit, Duo)
  • 2006-2009 –Eric Plantenberg (DI, Duo, Poetry, Persuasion, CA, Inform)
  • 2005-2009 –Justin Rudnick (Prose, Poetry, POI, Persuasion, Duo, Inform, CA)
2010's alumni
2010
  • 2006-2007 –Nathan Jahnke (Persuasion, Prose, ADS, CA, Inform, Duo)
  • 2006-2010 –Dylan Jambrek (Extemp, Persuasion, CA, Inform, Impromptu, ADS, Prose)
  • 2006-2010 –Jake Johnson (Extemp, Impromptu, CA, Inform, Persuasion, ADS)
  • 2006-2010 –Laura Magnusson (Prose, Duo, Inform, DI, POI)
  • 2006-2010 –Nick Miller (DI, CA, Inform, Duo, Persuasion, ADS, Extemp, Music Interp, Impromptu, Experimental Events)
  • 2006-2010 –BJ Pickard (ADS, CA, Inform, Prose, Duo, Persuasion, Bio, Inform, DI)
  • 2006-2010 –Em Schreiner (Inform, Persuasion, Prose, CA, ADS, Extemp)
2011
  • 2007-2011 –Alicia Gerber (Prose, DI, Duo, POI, Inform, ADS)
  • 2007-2011 –Meghan Pickard (Crit, Persuasion, Inform, After-Dinner, Extemp, Impromptu, Duo)
  • 2007-2011 –April Ross (Extemp, Impromptu, Inform)
  • 2007-2011 –Sarah Taylor (POI, Prose, Poetry, Duo, Drama, Persuasion, After-Dinner, Impromptu)
  • 2006-2011 –Whitney Zahn (Inform, After-Dinner, Crit, Persuasion, Impromptu, DI, Prose, Duo)
2012
  • 2008-2012 –Holly Albers (Persuasion, Inform, Rhet Crit, Duo, Poetry, POI, Prose, DI, Music Interp, Forensic Crit
  • 2009-2012 –Natalie Hunter (Inform, Prose, DI, Poetry, POI, CA, Duo)
  • 2006-2012 –Kindra Kressin (Prose, Poetry, DI, POI, Inform, Duo, Persuasion, Parliamentary Debate)
  • 2009-2012 –Jessica Krentz (Extemp, Impromptu, CA, Persuasion, Inform, ADS)
  • 2008-2012 –James Kust (Extemp, Impromptu, Persuasion, Inform, Communication Analysis, ADS, DI, Duo)
  • 2008-2012 –Patrick Martin (Extemp, Impromptu, Persuasion, CA, Inform, Duo)
2013
  • 2009-2013 –Megan Chilman (Prose, Poetry, POI, Inform, Drama)
  • 2009-2013 –Megan McKeown (Prose, Info, Poetry, Duo, Drama, POI, Persuasion)
  • 2009-2013 –Abby Rand (Prose, DI, Inform, Persuasion, CA)

Forensics has enriched my life more than any other involvement has. It is certainly a meaningful extracurricular as the lessons learned stick with a person. And while life gets busy, I am committed to finding ways to give back to this activity that has brought me so much. UWEC alumni are always here to support the program. We want to see UWEC Forensics exist for generations to come, it’s what the world needs and it’s a legacy we are all proud to help uphold.

Amy (Oldakowski) McNeely Communications

Feeling nostalgic?


If you are a past member of our incredible forensics team, we want to stay in touch! Please connect with us on Facebook and fill out the Forensics Alumni Fund so you and other past members can be featured on this page, contribute ideas and topics, or put together social events. We wouldn't be here today without you.

Other ways you can stay connected:

  • Donate to the new Forensics Director Legacy Fund (help endow the Director of Forensics position to continue the forensic legacy)
    • The Forensics Director Legacy Fund is a new fundraising initiative focused on strengthening the UW-Eau Claire Forensics program by investing in its leadership through an endowment. This is instrumental to the continued excellence of the program and is the most critical need for resources at this time.
      • Annual income from the endowment will initially fund the hiring of additional part-time coaches. In doing so, UW-Eau Claire Forensics will be able to level the playing field as they compete against programs with multiple coaches and graduate students.
      • In the future, the increasing endowment can be used to provide additional release time for the Director and Assistant Director, allowing them to teach fewer classes so they have more time to devote to Forensics. 
      • Once the fundraising reaches the $1 million level, the salary of the Director of Forensic will be enhanced above and beyond what the University provides. This will ensure that the program can attract and retain the best leadership which is central to upholding the strong legacy of the team.
  • Provide topics for speeches and interp on the Association of Blugold Forensics Alumni Facebook page (ABFA)
  • Come judge a tournament either on the road (see calendar) or on campus (especially the GWIET and the NFA National Tournament - send us a note)
Want to make a donation?

First and foremost, thank you! Our team is the cream of the crop at UWEC and we're excited you want to be a part of their success. All of our donations are run through the Foundation office on campus. Through them you'll be able to specify where you'd like your donation to go.

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