The Hastings Bronco Forensics team was the second overall team at the Kool-Cat Classic at Kansas State University. The Broncos had 38 awards and 5 new qualifications for the American Forensics Association-National Individual Events Tournament - junior Mike Dvorak, Muskogee, Okla., in Communication Analysis, junior Corey Reutlinger, Lexington, Neb., in Persuasive Speaking, junior Aaron Geringer, Wheatland, Wyo., in Poetry, sophomore Hannah Duke, Colorado Springs, Colo., in After-Dinner Speaking, and first-year Jared Buskirk, Holdrege, Neb., in Prose Interpretation. Duke picked up her first event for the AFA-NIET. The team has two tournament weekends left before nationals.

Saturday, February 26
Senior Curt Casper, Lexington, Neb. 4th in Dramatic Interpretation
 5th in Extemporaneous Speaking
 5th in Impromptu Speaking

Junior Corey Reutlinger, Lexington, Neb. 1st in Persuasive Speaking
 4th in Prose Interpretation

Junior Mike Dvorak, Muskogee, Okla. 1st in Communication Analysis
 3rd in Informative Speaking
 5th in Prose Interpretation

Junior Aaron Geringer, Wheatland, Wyo. 4th in Extemporaneous Speaking
 4th in Poetry
 6th in Prose Interpretation

Junior Makayla Jones, Grand Island, Neb. 6th in Communication Analysis

Sophomore Trevor Brass, Lincoln, Neb. 2nd in Extemporaneous Speaking
 4th in Informative Speaking
 5th in Communication Analysis

Sophomore Matt Cashoili, Hastings, Neb. 3rd in Prose Interpretation

Sophomore Hannah Davis, Grand Island, Neb. 4th in After-Dinner Speaking

First-Year Jose Jimenez, Lexington, Neb. 1st in Duo Interpretation (w/Buskirk)
 3rd in Dramatic Interpretation
 7th in Informative Speaking

First-Year Jared Buskirk, Holdrege, Neb. 1st in Duo Interpretation (w/Jimenez)

First-Year Jackie Lemmer, Atkinson, Neb. 3rd in Persuasive Speaking

First-Year Jenny Linne, Bailey, Colo. 6th in Informative Speaking

Sunday, February 27
Junior Aaron Geringer, Wheatland, Wyo. 2nd in Poetry
 3rd in Extemporaneous Speaking
 6th in Prose Interpretation
Junior Mike Dvorak, Muskogee, Okla. 3rd in Informative Speaking
Junior Corey Reutlinger, Lexington, Neb. 3rd in Prose Interpretation

Junior Sheila Hansen Snell, North Platte, Neb. 4th in Impromptu Speaking

Junior Makayla Jones, Grand Island, Neb. 5th in Communication Analysis
Sophomore Hannah Davis, Grand Island, Neb. 3rd in Program Oral Interpretation
 4th in After-Dinner Speaking

Sophomore Hannah Duke, Colorado Springs, Colo. 1st in After-Dinner Speaking

Sophomore Trevor Brass, Lincoln, Neb. 4th in Communication Analysis

Sophomore Matt Cashoili, Hastings, Neb. 4th in Prose Interpretation

First-Year Jared Buskirk, Holdrege, Neb. 1st in Prose Interpretation

First-Year Jose Jimenez, Lexington, Neb. 4th in Dramatic Interpretation

First-Year Jackie Lemmer, Atkinson, Neb. 5th in Persuasive 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.