The Hastings College Forensics team split up for the first tournament during J-term break; part of the team traveled to Concordia College in Seward for the Sleet and Sun Swing Tournament, the other half traveled to Bradley University in Peoria, Illinois for the Hell Froze Over Tournament. Despite the distance between the team, the overall weekend was a success. There were a total of 20 awards. The team that competed in Seward saw strong competition from local teams such as Doane College. Sophomore Hannah Davis, Grand Island, Neb., qualified for the AFA-NIET in Prose Interpretation, sophomore Matt Cashoili, Hastings, Neb., qualified in Dramatic Interpretation and first-year Jose Jimenez, Lexington, Neb., will now be traveling to nationals after qualifying in Poetry. Jimenez was also 2nd in Individual Sweepstakes.

Team members who traveled to Illinois saw some of the toughest competition of the season, including teams like George Mason University. Junior Mike Dvorak, Muskogee, Okla., received a final in Persuasive.

Peoria Tournament:
Saturday, January 15
Junior Mike Dvorak, Muskogee, Okla., received 4th in Persuasive Speaking.
Junior Corey Reutlinger, Lexington, Neb., received a Semi-Final in Program Oral Interpretation.
First-Year Jared Buskirk, Holdrege, Neb., received Next-Out* in Impromptu Speaking.

Sunday, January 16
Junior Corey Reutlinger, Lexington, Neb., received a Semi-Final in Program Oral interpretation.
Junior Mike Dvorak, Muskogee, Okla., received Next-Out* in Informative Speaking.

Concordia Tournament:
Saturday, January 15
Sophomore Hannah Davis, Grand Island, Neb., 1st in Prose Interpretation.
Sophomore Matt Cashoili, Hastings, Neb., received 1st in Dramatic Interpretation and 5th in Prose Interpretation.
Sophomore Trevor Brass, Lincoln, Neb., 3rd in Extemporaneous Speaking and 2nd in Debate Speaker Points.
First-Year Jenny Linne, Bailey, Colo., 3rd in Poetry and 3rd in Dramatic Interpretation.

The Debate team of Geringer and Brass received 2nd place in Parliamentary Debate and the Bronco Debate Team took 3rd place in Team Sweepstakes.

Sunday January 16
Senior Kelsi Potts, Cambridge, Neb., received 3rd in Communication Analysis.
Junior Aaron Geringer, Wheatland, Wyo., received 6th in Prose Interpretation.
Junior Makayla Jones, Grand Island, Neb., received 7th in Program Oral Interpretation.
Sophomore Trevor Brass, Lincoln, Neb., received 4th in Extemporaneous Speaking and 4th in After Dinner Speaking.
First-Year Jose Jimenez, Lexington, Neb., received 1st in Poetry, 4th in Program Oral Interpretation and 2nd in Individual Sweepstakes.
First-Year Jenny Linne, Bailey, Colo., received 4th in Dramatic Interpretation and 6th in Poetry.
First-Year Jackie Lemmer, Atkinson, Neb., received 6th in Persuasion Speaking.

The team took 2nd place in Team Sweepstakes

* Denotes Next-Out: the next person that didn't make an out-round.

The Bronco Forensics team has always seen national success at the American Forensics Association-National Individual Events Tournament (AFA-NIET). The team has been ranked in the Top 20 for 11 of the last 12 years and in the Top 15 for five of the last six years. The team has had 11 Individual Sweepstakes Award Winners since 1990. Since 1998, 43 students have achieved a quarterfinal at the AFA-NIET, 21 students have advanced to semifinals, 13 students have placed in finals at nationals and four speeches have achieved championships. Six students have been named to the AFA-All American Team placing Hastings College third in the nation for number of students with this honor. The team is ranked as the number one undergraduate college for the last decade at the AFA-NIET (Sternhagen, 2010).

The AFA-NIET will be held at the University of Nebraska-Kearney on April 1-3, 2011.
Hastings College, founded in 1882, is a private, four-year liberal arts institution affiliated with the Presbyterian Church (USA). A total of 64 majors in 32 areas of study and 12 pre-professional programs are offered to more than 1,190 students. Hastings College was named among “America’s Best National Liberal Arts Colleges” by U.S. News & World Report, a “Best in the Midwest” by The Princeton Review, and a “Best Buy in College Education” by Barron’s. Visit www.hastings.edu for more information.

Note to Media: For more information, contact Kittie Grace at (402) 461-461-7385.