Forensics Team wins opening competition of season

The Bloomsburg University Forensics team won the First Place Sweepstakes trophy at the CFA Fall Tournament held at Bloomsburg University over the weekend of September 30-October 1. This marks the sixth consecutive tournament where BU has won the first-place team award dating back to last year. Bloomsburg finished ahead of Shepherd University, Grove City College, Lenoir-Rhyne University, and the University of Lynchburg. Bloomsburg students won several first-place awards, including the First Place out of 20 parliamentary debate teams.”  

The following students won awards at the tournament:  

Nick Sorkine was first in Communication Analysis, Parliamentary Debate (with Jondi Harley), and Pentathlon, second in Extemporaneous Speaking and Persuasive Speaking, third in Declamation, Informative, in the Lincon-Douglas Debate, and tied for third place for the Best Speaker Parliamentary Debate.  

Carson Rush was fifth in Extemporaneous Speaking and sixth in Declamation.  

Erik Weibel was first in Prose and Poetry, and sixth in Pentathlon.  

Luis Donayre was first in Declamation, third in Pentathlon, fourth in Communication Analysis, fifth in Persuasive Speaking and in the Lincoln-Douglas Debate, and sixth in Extemporaneous Speaking.

Jondi Harley was first in the Parliamentary Debate (with Nick Sorkine) and in Persuasive Speaking, tied for third place in the Best Speaker Parliamentary Debate, and fourth in Extemporaneous Speaking.  

Mason Kay was first in the Lincoln-Douglas Debate, and third in After-Dinner Speaking.

Dylan Smith was second in Communication Analysis and fourth in Impromptu Speaking.

Zachariah Shultz was first in Impromptu Speaking and fourth in Single Dramatic Interpretation.

Alex Rohland was fourth in Persuasive Speaking and fifth in Declamation.

Jared Garrison was second in Informative Speaking.

Chris Mercedes also competed for Bloomsburg University and contributed to the team’s first place finish.

Dr. Neil Strine, professor of political science and Director of Forensics, served as the Tournament Director.

Bloomsburg will travel next to Ottawa, Canada over the weekend of October 21 to compete in the “CFA in Canada” tournament.

Front Row (L-R): Mason Kay, Luis Donayre, Alex Rohland, Nick Sorkine, Jondi Harley, Dr. Strine

Back Row (L-R): Chris Mercedes, Jared Garrison, Zachariah Shultz, Carson Rush, Erik Weibel, Dylan Smith