The Hastings College Broncos Forensics team competed this past weekend at the American Forensics Association District 4 tournament held at South Dakota State University, March 12-13. This was the final opportunity for events to qualify for the national tournament. The team had a strong showing for the first half of the tournament, but saw disappointing ranks the second day.

The team was still able to add three more events to the national tournament, which brings the total number of events to 37. This is 10 more than last year. Junior Sheila Hansen Snell, North Platte, Neb., added Poetry Interpretation, her first event. Senior Curt Casper, Lexington, Neb., added Dramatic Interpretation and junior Corey Reutlinger, Lexington, Neb., added Prose Interpretation. The team will now prepare for the American Forensics Association National Individual Events Tournament (AFA-NIET) to be held at the University of Nebraska – Kearney, April 2-4.

District 4 Results
Senior Curt Casper, Lexington, Neb. 3rd place in Dramatic Interpretation
Senior Kelsi Potts, Cambridge, Neb. 6th place in Prose Interpretation
Junior Shelia Hansen Snell, North Platte, Neb. 1st place in Poetry Interpretation
Junior Corey Reutlinger, Lexington, Neb. 2nd place in Prose Interpretation
First-year Jenny Linne, Bailey, Colo. 4th place in Communication Analysis

Below is a list of HC students who have qualified for the AFA-NIET (American Forensics Association - National Individual Events Tournament) this season.

Senior Curt Casper, Lexington, Neb., (5): Persuasive Speaking, Informative Speaking, Communication Analysis, Dramatic Interpretation and Extemporaneous Speaking
Senior Kelsi Potts, Cambridge, Neb., (2): After-Dinner Speaking and Communication Analysis
Junior Mike Dvorak, Muskogee, Okla., (6): Extemporaneous Speaking, After-Dinner Speaking, Impromptu Speaking, Informative Speaking, Communication Analysis, and Persuasive Speaking
Junior Corey Reutlinger, Lexington, Neb., (6): Informative Speaking, Program Oral Interpretation, Persuasive Speaking, Communication Analysis, Prose Interpretation, and Poetry
Junior Aaron Geringer, Wheatland, Wyo., (2): Persuasive Speaking and Poetry
Junior Sheila Hansen Snell, North Platte, Neb., (1): Poetry
Sophomore Hannah Davis, Grand Island, Neb., (4): Prose Interpretation, Program Oral Interpretation, Duo Interpretation (w/Cashoili), and Dramatic Interpretation
Sophomore Matt Cashoili, Hastings, Neb., (2): Duo Interpretation (w/Davis), and Dramatic Interpretation
Sophomore Trevor Brass, Lincoln, Neb., (1): Impromptu Speaking
Sophomore Hannah Duke, Colorado Springs, Colo., (1): After-Dinner Speaking
First-year Jared Buskirk, Holdrege, Neb., (4): Impromptu Speaking, Prose Interpretation, Extemporaneous Speaking, and After-Dinner Speaking
First-year Jose Jimenez, Lexington, Neb., (3): Program Oral Interpretation, Dramatic Interpretation and Poetry
First-year Jenny Linne, Bailey, Colo., (1): Dramatic Interpretation

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.