The Saddleback College Speech and Debate Team is pleased to announce two impressive tournament results. On February 2-14, the team took a 6th place overall win at the Tabor-Venitsky Tournament held at Cerritos College. On February 19-21, the team placed 6th overall at the Pacific Southwest Collegiate Forensics Association Spring Champtionships held at Moorpark College. The team placed above defending national champion teams, including Mt. San Antonio College and Moorpark College. Individual student awards are listed below.
“We will have one of the best finishes we’ve ever had,” says Co-director of the Speech & Debate Team, Heidi Ochoa. “I must make mention that none of our growth would be possible without the help of our Speech Analyst, Angelica Grisby, volunteer alumni, Patrick Leahy, and our two adjunct coaches, Mark Durrough and Aaron Fullman.”
Here are the results:
Spring Championships Tournament, Moorpark College;
Elyssa Hulse, Scholars Award
Individual Events:
2nd Place-Brian Fox, Junior Extemporaneous Speaking
3rd Place-Elyssa Hulse, Novice Poetry Interpretation
2nd Place-Micaela Balcaza, Novice Poetry Interpretation
Finalist-Nadiya Dubova, Junior Dramatic Interpretation
3rd Place, Elyssa Hulse, Senior Communication Analysis
1st Place, Tyler Kline, Senior Impromptu Speaking
Finalist-Nikki Friedman, Junior Persuasive Speaking
6th Place-Dante Johnson, Senior Persuasive Speaking
6th Place-Tyler Kline, Senior Informative Speaking
2nd Place-Nikki Friedman, After Dinner Speaking
Finalist-Alexander Perkins, After Dinner Speaking
Debate:
Gold Medalist-Sarah Boivin, Novice Parliamentary Debate
Gold Medalist-Jordan Drake, Novice Parliamentary Debate
Top Speaker, Brian Fox, Senior Parliamentary Debate
Top Speaker, Jordan Drake, Novice Parliamentary Debate
Gold Medalist-Tyler Kline, International Public Debate
Gold Medalist-Brian Fox, International Public Debate
Tabor-Venitsky Tournament, Cerritos College
3rd Place- Elyssa Hulse, Senior Communication Analysis
3rd Place-Tyler Kline, Senior Impromptu
4th Place-Taylor Stickle, Senior Prose
3rd Place-Taylor Stickle and Sergio Ochoa, Senior Duo Interpretation
2nd Place-Sergio Ochoa, Senior Poetry Interpretation
5th Place-Nadiya Dubova, Novice Dramatic Interpretation
6th Place-Nicky Friedman, Novice Dramatic Interpretation
1st Place-Christopher Russo, Novice Drama Interpretation
Silver Medalist-Jordan Drake, International Public Debate
The Saddleback Forensics Team started in the 1970s and prides itself on offering students the ability to create innovative arguments for future writing and speaking engagements to strengthen their critical thinking skills and to better communicate with others. On the forensics team, students write, rehearse, and perform at 6-7 tournaments against students from Universities and Community Colleges to qualify for the national tournament. The students representing Saddleback at the national tournament have placed above several competitors representing institutions throughout the year, including: Concordia University, Point Loma, California State University, Los Angeles, California State University, Long Beach, and UCLA.
Located in Mission Viejo, Saddleback College provides quality higher education and training to the greater south Orange County community. Having served more than 500,000 students since 1968, Saddleback College offers over 300 degree and certificate programs to help students reach their personal, career, and educational goals. For more information, please visit www.saddleback.edu and for Fine Arts information, please visit www.saddleback.edu/arts.
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Nina Welch
Fine Arts Public Information Officer
Saddleback College
28000 Marguerite Parkway
Mission Viejo, CA 92692
