BU Forensics Team Wins First Place in Ottawa

The team posing with the many awards they won. (Front L-R: Dr. Strine, Natalia Warfel, Ashley Kline, Carson Rush, Nick Sorkine, Luis Donayre Back L-R: Erik Weibel, Jondi Harley, Jared Garrison, Eric Nock, Dylan Smith, Chris Mercedes)

Bloomsburg University’s Forensics Team, colloquially known as Speech and Debate, continued their first-place streak at yet another tournament. However, this one was not within the states. The team traveled to Ottawa, Canada from October 20-22 for a series of competitive speaking events.  

Five universities competed against each other in a variety of events. They included Bloomsburg University, Shepherd University, Florida College, Wilkes University, and Lafayette College. Bloomsburg collectively finished above all of them, winning their seventh consecutive First Place award.  

The Ottawa tournament consisted of 12 events: Prose Interpretation, Poetry Interpretation, Dramatic Duo, Single Dramatic Interpretation, Informative Speaking, Persuasive Speaking, After Dinner Speaking, Communication Analysis, Extemporaneous Speaking, Impromptu Speaking, Lincoln-Douglas Debate, and Parliamentary Debate. Most of these are self-explanatory, though all are much more difficult than they appear. 

For example, in Impromptu Speaking, the individual is given three random quotations. He will choose one, and then prepare and deliver a speech agreeing or disagreeing with the quotation all within a seven-minute timeframe. Quick thinking and speaking abilities are necessities. While this is only one event, all include students competing against each other to deliver a speech prepared before or during the event. This requires an immense amount of bravery and skill. 

Bloomsburg University evidently possessed an excess amount of each of the two characteristics, as they placed in a plethora of events. 

Luis Donayre won 2^nd in Extemporaneous Speaking, 3^rd in Lincoln-Douglas Debate, 4^th in Declamation, 4^th in Pentathlon (an overall points award), 5^th in Communication Analysis, 5^th in Parliamentary Debate Speaking, and 6^th in Persuasive Speaking. 

Jared Garrison won 3^rd in Extemporaneous Speaking, 3^rd in Informative Speaking, 4^th in Poetry Interpretation, and 6^th in Pentathlon. 

Jondi Harley, whom many team members claim is a “menace” in Parliamentary Debates, placed 1^st in in Parliamentary Debate with Nicholas Sorkine, 2^nd in Persuasive Speaking, 3^rd in Impromptu Speaking, 4^th in Parliamentary Debate Speaking, and 5^th in Extemporaneous Speaking.  

Erik Weibel won 2^nd in Parliamentary Debate Speaking, 3^rd in Poetry, 5^th in Impromptu Speaking, 5^th in Persuasive Speaking, and 6^th in Prose Interpretation. 

Dylan Smith won 3^rd in After Dinner Speaking, 4^th in Impromptu Speaking, 4^th in Communication Analysis, and 6^th in Parliamentary Debate Speaking. 

Carson Rush won 3^rd in Single Dramatic Interpretation and 4^th in Lincoln-Douglas Debate. 

Natalia Warfel won 2^nd in Poetry, 2^nd in Dramatic Duo with Eric Nock, and 6^th in Declamation. 

Eric Nock won 2^nd in Dramatic Duo with Natalia Warfel. 

Ashley Kline won 4^th in Informative Speaking. 

Christopher Mercedes contributed to the overall points Bloomsburg University won, which helped the team win first place. 

Forensics Team President Nicholas Sorkine took home an astounding nine awards, which include 1^st in Persuasive Speaking, 1^st in Informative, 1^st in Declamation, 1^st in Lincoln-Douglas Debate, 1^st in Parliamentary Debate with Jondi Harley, 1^st in Pentathlon, 3^rd in Parliamentary Debate Speaking, 3^rd in Communication Analysis, and 4^th in Extemporaneous Speaking. He’s the President for a reason. 

Dr. Neil Strine, Director of Forensics and most famous for teaching former Super Bowl-winning Saints quarterback Drew Brees, helped lead the team to victory with his expertise in debate. 

The team celebrated by touring the streets of Canada’s capital and having fun with team members and students from other schools. They toured malls, restaurants, tourist attractions, and other venues of the like. Donayre, Harley, and Smith even rode along the roads of Ottawa on electric scooters. 

   If one wishes to join the team, contact hstrin2@bloomu.edu, or come to a meeting in Bakeless 306 at 9 PM Mondays and Wednesdays. The team will travel to their final tournament of the fall semester at Shepherd University on November 4-5^th.   

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