The Hastings Bronco Forensics Team picked up a 4th team championship this season by winning this weekend at Laramie County Community College in Cheyenne, Wyoming.

A total of 41 awards were won, including four championships and three more qualifications to the AFA-NIET; a total of 21 events have been qualified by the Hastings team so far this season. Junior Aaron Geringer, Wheatland, Wyo., added Persuasive Speaking, first-year student Jared Buskirk, Holdrege, Neb., in Impromptu Speaking and first-year student Jenny Linne, Bailey, Colo., in Dramatic Interpretation. The Debate Duo of Trevor Brass, Lincoln, Neb., and Aaron Geringer were semi-finalists in Parliamentary Debate, helping the team to a 2nd place finish overall. In addition, the team helped host the tournament on Sunday. Next weekend, the team will be competing at the University of Nebraska-Kearney, host school for this year’s AFA-NIET.

Saturday, January 29
Junior Aaron Geringer, Wheatland, Wyo. 2nd in Poetry Interpretation
 3rd in Persuasive Speaking
 3rd in Extemporaneous Speaking
 4th in Prose Interpretation

Junior Makayla Jones, Grand Island, Neb. 6th in Duo Interpretation (w/Cashoili)

Sophomore Hannah Davis, Grand Island, Neb. 1st in After-Dinner Speaking
 5th in Program Oral Interpretation

Sophomore Trevor Brass, Lincoln, Neb. 3rd in Informative Speaking
 4th in Communication Analysis
 4th in Extemporaneous Speaking
  Trevor was 10th overall speaker in Debate.

Sophomore Matt Cashoili, Hastings, Neb. 5th in Poetry Interpretation
 5th in Prose Interpretation
 6th in Duo Interpretation (w/Jones)

Sophomore Hannah Duke, Colorado Springs, Colo. 6th in Persuasive Speaking

First-year Jared Buskirk, Holdrege, Neb. 1st in Prose Interpretation
 1st in Extemporaneous Speaking
 5th in Persuasive Speaking

First-year Jenny Linne, Bailey, Colo. 2nd in Dramatic Interpretation
 3rd in Communication Analysis
 4th in Impromptu Speaking
 4th in Poetry Interpretation

First-year Jose Jimenez, Lexington, Neb. 5th in Dramatic Interpretation

The team took 1st place in Individual Events Sweepstakes and 2nd place in Debate and Individual Combined Sweepstakes.

Sunday, January 30
Sophomore Hannah Davis, Grand Island, Neb. 1st in After-Dinner Speaking
 2nd in Program Oral Interpretation

Sophomore Trevor Brass, Lincoln, Neb. 4th in Communication Analysis
 4th in Extemporaneous Speaking
 5th in After-Dinner Speaking
 5th in Informative Speaking

Sophomore Matt Cashoili, Hastings, Neb. 2nd in Poetry Interpretation

Sophomore Hannah Duke, Colorado Springs, Colo. 6th in Persuasive Speaking

First-year Jenny Linne, Bailey, Colo. 3rd in Poetry Interpretation
 3rd in Program Oral Interpretation
 4th in Impromptu Speaking

First-year Jose Jimenez, Lexington, Neb. 3rd in Dramatic Interpretation
 3rd in Prose Interpretation
 6th in Informative Speaking

First-year Jared Buskirk, Holdrege, Neb. 2nd in Impromptu Speaking
 5th in Prose Interpretation

First-year Jackie Lemmer, Atkinson, Neb. 4th in Persuasive Speaking
 6th in Impromptu Speaking

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.

For more information, contact Kittie Grace at (402) 461-461-7385.