Forensics places 25th in national tournament

India Williams
Staff Writer
April 8, 2004, Page 1

The Doane Forensics team placed 25th in the nation at the American Forensic Association Nationals in Long Beach, Calif.
More than 100 schools particpated, and at least 150 students were entered in each event.
The tournament was held from April 2-5.
“It was very intense,” freshman Anthony Kraus said. “It was definitely different from any other tournament because there were so many people in one event.”
Doane placed in the top half and top third of half of their 11 events in the most prestigious intercollegiate national forensics tournament.
“Nationals was a personal success for all of us,” sophomore Abi Mihel said.
Anne Golden, senior, broke into the quarter finals, which placed her in the top 24 out of 152 students in the Communication Analysis event. After the preliminary rounds, senior Erin Cico placed 26th in Persuasive Speaking and sophomore Abi Mihel placed 32nd in After-Dinner Speaking event.
In the beginning of the fall semester, director Dawn Bartlett and assistant director Rachelle Hafer promised the team a trip to the amusement park California Adventure if the entire team qualified for Nationals.
For the first time in four years the entire team qualified and the directors kept their promise.
“The trip to California Adventure gave us a chance to relax before we went to work,” Mihel said.
The team of 12 has defeated almost every college and university in Nebraska including University of Nebraska-Lincoln, University of Nebraska-Omaha and University of Nebraska-Kearney, placing in the top three in many of their tournaments.
“We scored with these hardworking and talented freshmen,” Hafer said. “Losing our only seniors, Anne Golden and Erin Cico, is a great loss in leadership and success.”
Considering the fact that this activity is a year round commitment, many of the freshmen are taking this time to catch up on schoolwork.
“Now that I’m done with Forensics, I’m faced with another hurdle and that’s getting ready for finals,” Kraus said.
With hopes of returning for another great year, the team said farewell to four year members Cico and Golden.
“Losing them will be a great loss in leadership and success, but we wish them the best,” Hafer said.
Doane’s forensics team has accomplished a lot throughout the year.
Kraus plans to use the ideas he saw at Nationals to do better next year.
Meanwhile the team has gained national exposure in the forensics field.
“I’m just glad everyone finally knows who Doane Forensics team is,” Cico said.

Forensics team racks up the wins

India Williams
Staff Writer
Mar. 11, 2004, Page 3

For the first time in four years the Doane Forensics team was number one at a tournament.
After one of its most successful competitions last weekend at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and Creighton University, the team brought home 29 individual speaking awards and qualified for Nationals in seven events.
The competition included nine other schools throughout the Midwest.
“This competition put a lot of pressure on us because it was students’ last chance to qualify for Nationals,” freshman Emily Jordening said.
The team has placed number one in four sweepstakes and in the top three in all of the others since October. All but two students out of the 14 qualified for Nationals.
“They may travel three weekends out of a month and practice three to eight hours a week,” said Dawn Bartlett, director of the Forensics team. “But they continue to show they're the best with over 250 awards to prove it.”
Before each competition they chant “focus, energy and support” to remain motivated because it is hard to give up every weekend for competitions.
“Things can be difficult for the students physically and mentally because our team has the longest season of any sport or activity on campus,” Bartlett said. “But these students are above average so they manage their time wisely.”
Next week's tournament at the University of Wisconsin may not be the last tournament for most of the team before Nationals, but for seniors Anne Golden and Erin Cico it will be.
“I have seen this team grow over the past four years and I can honestly say it has changed my life,” Golden said. “We've been so successful because we support one another like a family.”
The Doane Forensics team has nothing to do with crime investigations like some think, but with subject matter that relates to politics, the economy, sociology and many other areas.
“We don't do autopsies; however, we do leave behind a lot of dead bodies at the tournaments,” Jordening said.
The Doane Forensics team’s last tournament before Nationals is next week at the University of Wisconsin. Nationals will be April 2-5 in California.