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Speech and Debate Program

UNL speech and debate team once again distinguished themselves at the American Forensics Association's National Individual Events Tournament (AFA-NIET). Over 900 students and 83 college and universities competed at this year's AFA-NIET. The husker speech and debate team broke 15 events to quarterfinals (the most ever for the team!), seven to semifinals, and three to finals.

All five of the seniors on the team made at least one outround. Junior Nick Herink received 5th place in program oral interpretation, 2nd place in dramatic interpretation, and 2nd in prose interpretation. In the individuals sweepstakes, senior Mallory Marsh placed 21st and Nick Herink placed 4th (2nd highest placing by a UNL team member in our history). The team placed 7th in the nation overall (in 2010 the team placed 9th). This marked the team's 16th straight season placing in the top 20 at the AFA-NIET.

The UNL debate team had an excellent showing at the Pi Kappa Delta National Tournament. Pi Kappa Delta is one of the oldest debate honoraries in the nation and over 700 students participated in the event. Junior Brin Walters took second overall and fellow junior John Holen took third overall in Lincoln Douglass debate. John and Brin also represented UNL proudly in the showcase rounds, in which the top eight debaters squared off in rounds to illustrate for other students interested in debate the skills needed to be national champions in the event. It was a great accomplishment for the team by winning 2nd, 3rd, and representing 25% of the showcase rounds in debate.

• Five time national champions since 2000
• National champions in all three areas of individual events competition
• Team has placed among top twenty teams nationally for the past sixteen years in a row
• 14 out-round events at AFA National Individual Events Tournament 2011
• 7th place finish in Speech at the American Forensics Association’s National Individual Events Tournament 2011
• 5th place finish in Debate at the National Forensics Association’s Annual Tournament 2011
• 9th place finish in Speech at the National Forensics Association’s Annual Tournament 2011 (Despite only taking 6 students total to the tournament)
• Only on of two teams in the country to win awards in speech and debate National Forensics Association’s Annual Tournament
• 2nd & 3rd place finishes in Lincoln Douglas Debate at Pi Kappa Delta National Tournament
• 2009, 2010, & 2011 Nebraska Intercollegiate Forensics Association Combined Team Champions .