When most people think of forensics, they think of “CSI” and investigation, but for some members of the UW-Whitewater community, it is something completely different: a competitive speaking sport.

Members of UW-Whitewater Forensics Team spend their weekends competing in speaking competitions ranging from informative speaking to dramatic acting. They recently competed in the Wisconsin Collegiate Forensics Association Tournament, where the team took home multiple awards.

The team took second at the tournament, which was the team’s highest finish in 18 years. Additionally, team members also brought home three state individual titles.

Collegiate forensics has 11 different categories and UW-Whitewater’s team had winners in nine of them.

A few years ago, there were six or seven members on the Forensics Team, but this year it took 34 entries to state. Team president, junior Emily Shrout, has enjoyed seeing the growth of the team over her three years here.

UW-Whitewater is one of seven colleges that have a competitive team in the state of Wisconsin.

Senior Craig Nelson said he puts in an average of 10 hours a week of practice.

“And even more on a week where there is a tournament,” Nelson said. “Those weeks it is more like 15 to 20 hours of practice.”

Nelson had pieces in eight categories and placed in four at the State Tournament, two of which he took first place in.

Shrout said that the team is really supportive of one another. This year she had pieces in five different categories and placed with three of them at State. She will start preparing for next year’s pieces shortly after the National Tournament.

Shrout has been an active member of the team since her freshman year.

“I have done State all three of my years here at UW-Whitewater.,” Shrout said. “We try to get as many entries as possible to State. Nationals is the tournament you have to qualify for.”

Shrout will move onto Nationals with three of her pieces, along with several other team members.

The UW-Whitewater Forensics Team is a big name in the forensics world. Nelson said one of the big reasons he transferred here was because of the forensics team.

Nelson said the recent growth of students with a passion are one of the reasons the team has grown so much over the past few years. Recruiting both transfer students and incoming freshman for the team is one aspect that has helped the steady growth.

The team will be moving onto the National Tournament in April.

Jeanine Fassl, former team coach and retired UW-Whitewater professor, said the team had a great season.

“I am so intensely proud of the team’s accomplishments this year. There were very few tournaments where the team left without somebody in the finals,” Fassl said.