A man stands talking with his hands clasped

MacLain Naumann

Assistant Director, Speech and Debate Programs
Director, Speech

After assuming his position in February of 2022, MacLain continues to serve as the Director of Speech for the Cornell University Speech and Debate Program with great success. In his first two months, he was the lead coach to nine students, qualifying twenty-two events for the AFA National Tournament with one student seeing national elimination rounds in Extemporaneous Speaking and Impromptu Speaking. Having competed on scholarship for Webster University, MacLain has been in national elimination rounds for After Dinner Speaking, Dramatic Interpretation and Duo, with two national championships in Prose Interpretation. After graduation, he utilized his skills for research and rhetoric in his career as a journalist, working in several newsrooms in the St. Louis community. As a writer, journalist and comedian, MacLain believes deeply in the vast professional opportunities that forensic competition can create for students--and helping students achieve greater professional success is the focus of his coaching.