The Lafayette Forensics Society traveled to Manchester, NH on Saturday, November 7th for the Jack Lynch Invitational at St. Anselm College.  The team took 14 students to the tournament in both individual events and debate.  Joining the team on the trip were Lafayette alums Paul and Jenny Kritzler, as well as volunteer Deb Boyer.

The team won 1st place in debate and individual events sweepstakes and five different events.  The team bested 8 other schools at the tournament, including reigning national champions Western Kentucky University, Emerson College, Suffolk University, University of Maine, Ithaca College and Old Dominion University.  Strong finishes like this only come from strong individual performances:

Kyle deCant (Senior) – 1st place Impromptu Speaking, 2nd place Extemporaneous Speaking, 4th place Persuasive Speaking
Christina Hunt (Junior) – 1st place After Dinner Speaking, 2nd place Rhetorical Criticism, 3rd place Poetry Interpretation
Katie Starkweather (Junior) – 1st place Informative Speaking, 2nd place Prose Interpretation
Nan Li (Sophomore) – 1st place Rhetorical Criticism
Angela Wnek (Freshman) – 1st place Dramatic Interpretation, 3rd place Prose Interpretation, 4th place Poetry Interpretation

Sam Derrick (Senior) – 2nd place LD Debate, 3rd place LD Speaker
Ryan Benjamin (Senior) – Quarterfinalist LD Debate
James Hilbert (Junior) – Quarterfinalist LD Debate
Samantha Sangenito (Sophomore) – Semifinalist LD Debate
Justin Bortnick (Freshman) – 2nd place Novice LD Debate
Joshua Geesey (Freshman) – 3rd place Novice LD Speaker

The tournament was our most successful of the young season and is a sign of strong performances yet to come.  The team is off next weekend and is traveling to Cedar Crest College and Bowling Green State University on the weekend of November 21st and 22nd.