Forensics Team Ranked Nationally Again

The Gustavus Adolphus College forensics team earned a top 20 national ranking for the second consecutive year at the American Forensics Association National Individual Events Tournament (AFA-NIET) April 5-7 at the University of Texas at Austin.

Competing against mostly Division I schools, Gustavus placed 20th in the team sweepstakes for the second straight year. Western Kentucky University won the team sweepstakes for the third straight year and for the fifth time in the last six years.

Gustavus Senior Brittney Lovdahl was named to this year’s All-American Team — making her the third Gustavus student in the last six years to receive that honor.

Fifteen Gustavus students participated at the tournament, including sophomores Emma Moreau and Mary Cunningham. Moreau advanced to the semifinal round in Persuasion, placing her in the top 12 out of 135 competitors in the nation. Cunningham qualified for the quarterfinal round in Persuasion, placing her in the top 24 in the nation.

Other Gustavus students who participated at the AFA-NIET include juniors Tasha Carlson, Kavan Rogness, Brittani Seagren, and Maria Siegle, sophomores Alex Brakke, Christopher Hunt, Sean Maertens, and Paula Wiggam, and first-year students Marie Bushnell, Phill Helt, Austin Lafferty, and Claire Sagstuen.

The team’s success at the AFA-NIET comes on the heels of its first place finish at the Minnesota Collegiate Forensics Association State Championship on Feb. 17. For more information on results from that tournament go to gustavus.edu/news/3710.

AFA-NIET Team Sweepstakes Top 20

1. Western Kentucky University
2. Bradley University
3. University of Texas at Austin
4. Kansas State University
5. George Mason University
6. University of Alabama
7. Arizona State University
8. California State, Long Beach
9. University of Nebraska-Lincoln
10. Illinois State University
11. West Texas A&M University
12. Hastings College
13. University of Nebraska-Omaha
14. University of Texas El Paso
15. Seton Hall University
16. Saint Joseph’s University
17. Doane College
18. James Madison University
19. Rice University
20. Gustavus Adolphus College