The Gustavus Adolphus College forensics team continued to assert itself as one of the country’s top collegiate programs when it placed 11th at the American Forensic Association’s National Individual Events Tournament (AFA-NIET) on Monday, April 6 in Portland, Oregon.
The team earned 130 points during the four-day tournament, which was hosted by Lewis and Clark College. Western Kentucky took first place at the tournament, with the University of Texas at Austin and George Mason University placing second and third respectively. Gustavus has been a fixture in the top 15 of the Team Sweepstakes in recent history including last year when the team placed a program-best sixth.
“Considering half of our team is first-year students, I am very proud of our accomplishment—the future is very bright,” said Director of Forensics Kristofer Kracht. “To be one of the best 11 teams in the country, competing against some of the largest universities in the nation, speaks to this team’s pride, passion, and grit. They have represented Gustavus all year with class and dignity. I also want to recognize Karin Nordin and Brittany Knutson for their consummate professionalism and steadfast leadership. They are leaving an impacting legacy. The program’s foundation is very strong.”
Nordin was one of six individuals out of 157 competitors to make the finals in the Prose Interpretation event. She ended up placing fifth in the category and also advanced to the quarterfinal round in the Dramatic Interpretation event. Nordin also earned the team’s highest finish in the Individual Sweepstakes where she placed 36th. Knutson was the team’s other individual to break through to the quarterfinal round of an event as she did so in Persuasive Speaking.
Other Gustavus team members who competed at this year’s AFA-NIET included Kellen Andersen ’17, Noelle Anderson ’18, Andrew Boge ’18, Ryan Eichenauer ’18, Wilson Fields ’16, Gino Fraboni ’18, Kari Grundmeier ’16, Rodrigo Gutierrez Vazquez ’18, Lizzie Hjelle ’17, Megan Johnson ’18, Caleb Merritt ’18, Emily Meyer ’16, Sarah Peterson ’18, Kari Roll ’16, Clay Sletta ’18, Alekhya Tallapaka ’18, and Aurora Vautrin ’18.
The full results from the 2015 AFA-NIET are available online at http://www.speechwire.com/afaniet2015.pdf.
For more information about the Gustavus forensics program, go online to gustavus.edu/forensics.
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