Forensics Team takes second in competition

The Bloomsburg University Forensics Team won the Second Place Team Sweepstakes Award out of eight schools at the annual Collegiate Forensic Association's Holiday Tournament at Shepherd University over the weekend of November 4-5. Bloomsburg students brought home 25 individual speech and debate awards, including several first-place awards.

Bloomsburg finished ahead of West Chester University, Shepherd University, Appalachian State University, University of Richmond, Laurel Ridge Community College, and the University of Lynchburg. 
  
The following students won awards at the CFA Holiday Tournament: 

• Nick Sorkine was first in Pentathlon, Declamation, Extemporaneous Speaking, Parliamentary Debate (with Jondi Harley), and tied for first in the Lincoln-Douglas Debate; was second in Persuasive Speaking, and Informative Speaking; fourth as Best Speaker Parliamentary Debate, and sixth in Communication Analysis. 
• Carson Rush was sixth in Declamation, Single Dramatic Interpretation and in the Lincoln-Douglas Debate. 
• Zachariah Shultz was third in Single Dramatic Interpretation, Parliamentary Debate (with Alex Rohland), and fourth in Impromptu Speaking. 
• Jondi Harley was first in Parliamentary Debate (with Nick Sorkine), second as Best Speaker Parliamentary Debate, and fifth in Persuasive Speaking. 
• Alex Rohland was third in Parliamentary Debate (with Zachariah Shultz), and sixth in Persuasive Speaking. 
• Dylan Smith was fourth in Parliamentary Debate (with Erik Weibel), and fifth in After-Dinner Speaking. 
• Jared Garrison tied for fourth in Informative Speaking, and was sixth as Best Speaker Parliamentary Debate. 
• Erik Weibel was fourth in Parliamentary Debate (with Dylan Smith), and sixth in Impromptu Speaking.
• Mason Kay was fourth in the Lincoln-Douglas Debate. 
• Ashley Kline was sixth in Informative Speaking.
• Chris Mercedes and Jacob Geedey also competed for Bloomsburg and contributed to the team's 2nd place finish.  

Ms. Emel Rasim, BU Class of 2020, served as a speech and debate judge for BU at the tournament. Dr. Neil Strine, Director of Forensics at BU, was the Tournament Director. The BU Forensics Team will travel next to the University of Lynchburg over the weekend of January 27-28, 2023 for the annual CFA Winter Tournament.  
  
Shown from left, back row: Chris Mercedes, Jondi Harley, Dylan Smith, Jacob Geedey, Jared Garrison. Front row: Dr. Strine, Erik Weibel, Nick Sorkine, Alex Rohland, Ashley Kline, Carson Rush, Zachariah Shultz, Mason Kay.