Auditions for next season!

Photo: The team stopped for a quick shot while touring the campus at nationals. Do you want to be part of this crazy group? Then contact Coach Abbie (asyrek@unomaha.edu) for audition information.

Hi everyone. We speech folk hope that the first few weeks of summer are treating you well. What's going on with the team, you wonder? Glad you asked. On Saturday, June 12th the team will host our annual audition day as we prepare for the fall season. Anyone is welcome to audition, you just have to be an undergraduate student with plans to attend UNO this fall. For those of you who will be new to campus, let Coach Abbie know if you would like to meet with any other UNO groups, organizations, or academic departments. We're more than happy to help you make a day of it. Parents and friends are welcome to come along, just let Abbie know how many people you are planning to bring with you so we can order enough pizza.

If you're interested, contact Coach Abbie (asyrek@unomaha.edu) for more information. Hope to see you there!

UNO Helps High School Students "Speak Up!"

Photo: Two East students approach Niveditha, Cameron, and Iven to ask questions about the college experience.

Way back in November, Shelley Molland, speech teacher at Sioux City's East High School, contacted Coach Abbie to arrange a collaborative workshop between East High and UNO. On April 30th, the project became reality! UNO students Iven Mendoza, Cameron Logsdon, and Niveditha Rajagopalan traveled with Abbie to East High to host "Speak Up," an all-day workshop focused on teaching minority students how to find their voice and use it to prepare for college and the professional world.

Photo: Niveditha delivers her After-Dinner speech about arranged marriages to the audience of East students.

The workshop began with Iven, Cameron, and Niveditha performing a variety of events they used in competition this year. After each performance, the 70 high school students in attendance pointed out their favorite aspects of each piece and discussed the social themes embedded within the selections. Then, 10 East students were given one-on-one coaching time with Cam, Iven, and Niv. After some practice time, these 10 students performed their selections as their peers applauded enthusiastically. Following this coaching session, Iven, Cam and Niv shared their personal stories of what brought them to UNO, how they finance college, and what keeps them motivated to keep working hard both in forensics, and in the classroom. They answered several questions from East students, and even exchanged contact information with some students and have since been communicating about college preparation and the processes involved with applications and scholarships.

Photo: Iven, Cameron, and Niveditha answered questions about the various campus activities students can get involved in at UNO.

In this wonderful activity of competitive speech, we often talk about the importance of getting into the community and using our skills to make a difference. Iven, Cameron, and Niveditha did just that on Friday. They spent the day mentoring 70 exceptional students. When it was all said and done, one student approached Niv and said, "Everyone around me was telling me not to go to college, but watching you three today taught me I have to follow my dreams." Another student told Abbie, "College always seemed so out of reach and a little too difficult. Now it seems cool and really fun. I can't wait!" It was a beautiful day.

THE RESULTS ARE IN: UNO Forensics Places 8th in the Nation and Cameron Logsdon Wins National Championship!

Photo: The team stops for a quick picture after the awards ceremony on Sunday night. Does it look like they've been crying? You'd better believe it!

Well friends, our forensics season has come to a close and we have never had a season like this one. All year we've been asking for donations of time, money and resources so we could pay to travel to the national tournament, the American Forensics Association-National Individual Events Tournament (AFA-NIET). All of you, our friends, family, and alumni, made it possible to go to nationals this spring and we're so glad you did. UNO Forensics placed 8th in nation out of 76 schools and junior Cameron Logsdon became UNO's first national champion!

UNO Forensics traveled to the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire for the AFA-NIET, March 31st-April 5th. For those of you who are still learning about forensics, the national tournament is so large that events don't break straight to finals. Instead, the first elimination round is quarter-finals (the top 24 in the nation). From there, 12 competitors in each event advance to semi-finals (top 12 in the nation) and from there, the top six in each event become your national finalists.

This year, UNO had 9 breaks to quarter-finals, a school record (the previous record was 5). UNO quarter-finalists include:

• Cameron Logsdon, Poetry Interpretation
• Brian Robinson, Impromptu Speaking
• Tessie Stednitz, Poetry Interpretation

UNO advanced three events to semi-finals. Our semi-finalists include:

• Allison Henri, Informative Speaking
• Blaine Miller, Communication Analysis
• Tessie Stednitz, Dramatic Interpretation

Three UNO speakers advanced to final rounds (previous record was 2)!

• Cameron Logsdon is UNO's first national champion! He won Program of Oral Interpretation.
• Allison Henri placed 2nd in Poetry.
• Iven Mendoza placed 3rd in Poetry.

We are also proud to share that junior Allison Henri placed 16th in individual sweepstakes. Awards in this category are given to the top-20 speakers in the nation. Allison has joined alum Matt Eledge (19th place in 2009) as only two UNO speakers ever to take home an individual sweepstakes award.

Photo: Meet your UNO out-rounders! Blaine Miller, Tessie Stednitz, Cameron Logsdon, Allison Henri, Brian Robinson and Iven Mendoza.

Finally, for the first time ever, UNO cracked into the Top-10 and placed 8th as a school. The highest UNO has ever placed at the NIET was 13th (both in 2008 and 2009). Although placing in the Top-10 was a glimmer in our eye, we never thought doing so was actually possible. But we did it! And now the coaching staff has to cash in a few bets they made with the team. Let's just say that coach Vanessa will soon be sporting a blonde head of hair, perfect for summer! And did I hear someone say tattoos? Yes, coaches Abbie and Ryan will get inked! :)

To say that we owe this success to all of you, our devoted, loving family, friends, and alumni, would be an understatement of epic proportions. THANK YOU to each of you who attended chili feeds, bake sales, and Night Before Nationals. THANK YOU to each of you for donating to the team to make this dream possible. Thank you to Dr. Jeremy Lipschultz, Director of the School of Communication for paving our road and being a constant supporter of our students. Thank you to Dean Gail Baker (College of Communication, Fine Arts & Media) and Chancellor John Christensen for their support of our program. UNO Forensics is part of all of us. We did this together, and now we can celebrate a season that still has Ryan and I wondering if it actually happened. Here is to you!

Chillin' in Manhattan, the good one

We're chillin' in Manhattan with Nick Herink and Taylor Sloey. Nick and Taylor compete for UNL and have a new duo this weekend. Can't wait to see it! Someimes Nick forgets to pack clothes for the tournament and has to borrow them. Nick creates alternate realities wherein he thinks UNO judges glare at him while he performs. How could we possibly glare at such a beautiful performer?

In other news, Starbucks donated coffee to the tournament! More results to come as the day continues . . .

Results from State!

Photo: Stephanie Larsen, Eastin Yates, Tessie Stednitz and Allison Henri enjoy a team dinner on Friday night.

The forensics team had an amazing state tournament on February 20th. We traveled to Doane College to compete against the other amazing schools in our state. On Friday night the team enjoyed dinner at the 9th Street Grill (see photos above). The tournament began early Saturday morning and UNO had a great showing! In addition to having five state champions in six events, UNO won the state Quality Award and placed 2nd in team sweepstakes.

Photo: Jonna Rebensdorf, Cortney Griffith, Iven Mendoza, Tessie Stednitz, Allison Henri, Blaine Miller, and Cameron Logsdon stopped for a photo after the awards ceremony.

• Cameron Logsdon was the state champion of Prose and Program of Oral Interpretation. He also placed 2nd in Dramatic Interpretation and 4th in Duo with Allison Henri.
• Niveditha Rajagopalan was the state champion of After-Dinner Speaking. She also placed 2nd in Oratory, qualifying her to compete at the national Interstate Oratory Contest at the University of Oklahoma in April. Niveditha also placed 3rd in Extemporaneous Speaking.
• Iven Mendoza was the state champion in Poetry. He also placed 2nd in Program of Oral Interpretation and 3rd in Duo with Cortney Griffith.
• Brian Robinson was the state champion in Impromptu Speaking. He also placed 6th in Oratory, 2nd in Extemporaneous Speaking, 5th in After-Dinner Speaking and was a semi-finalist in Communication Analysis.
• Tessie Stednitz was the state champion of Dramatic Interpretation.
• Allison Henri placed 3rd in Program of Oral Interpretation and 4th in Duo with Cameron Logsdon.
• Blaine Miller placed 3rd in Communication Analysis, 4th in Dramatic Interpretation, 4th in Prose Interpretation and 6th place in Duo with Danielle Steen.
• Danielle Steen placed 6th in Duo with Blaine Miller.
• Cortney Griffith placed 3rd in Duo with Iven Mendoza and 5th in Dramatic Interpretation.
• Eastin Yates placed 6th in Program of Oral Interpretation and was the top-novice in Prose Interpretation.
• Stephanie Larsen placed 7th in Informative Speaking.

In addition to this competitive success, UNO was very pleased to have three students nominated for the Spirit of NIFA Award. Each school in the state nominates two students for this award who demonstrate leadership, professionalism, and success both competitively and/or in leadership roles. Three UNO students were nominated by other schools for the award: Niveditha Rajagopalan, Brian Robinson, and Eastin Yates. The winners were both from UNL, Taylor Sloey and Mallory Marsh. Congratulations to two outstanding students for this well-deserved award!

Finally, as was mentioned above, the state tournament is unique because the top two speakers in Oratory advance to compete at the national Interstate Oratorical Association tournament at the University of Oklahoma in April. Niveditha Rajagoplana placed 2nd in Oratory, Amanda Bouc from Doane College was the champion of the event. Both ladies will travel to Norman to the oldest public speaking competition in the nation. Good luck!

Photo: Three very happy coaches! Ryan Syrek, Abbie Syrek and Vanessa Hatfield are all smiles after the state tournament.

Results from the Fat Tuesday Swing

Photo: Coach Vanessa Hatfield is pictured between her parents, Doug and Betty at the Hatfield home on Saturday night. Dan Reeker and Iven Mendoza are ready to eat!

UNO sent nine students and two coaches to UNK February 6th-7th to compete in the annual Fat Tuesday swing. Coach Vanessa's family invited the team over for dinner on Saturday night. As Tessie and Eastin played the piano and sang music from the musical Wicked, Abbie taught Niveditha how to wash dishes! The rest of the team ate their weight in lasagna, cupcakes and ice cream. Thanks Mama and Papa Hatfield for a wonderful night!

Photo: Abbie teaches Niveditha how to wash dishes at the Hatfield home Saturday night. Niv was not thrilled, but Abbie was happy that she learned something new!

Saturday, February 6th

Allison Henri: 1st in Informative Speaking, 1st in POI

Danielle Steen: 1st in Duo with Blaine, 2nd in Persuasion

Blaine Miller: 1st in Duo with Danielle

Brian Robinson: 1st in Persuasion

Jacki Miller: 4th in Extemp, 6th in Persuasion.

Jonna Rebensdorf: 4th in prose, 6th in Informative Speaking

Tessie Stednitz: 4th in Informative Speaking

Jacki Miller placed 3rd in individual sweepstakes. UNO placed 3rd as a team.

Crew goes to Hutchinson

On January 30th and 31st, Coach Vanessa took Iven, Jonna and Stephanie to Hutchinson, KS for a tournament at Hutchinson Community College. You can tell from the picture above that they had a great time. Here are the results:

Saturday, January 30th:

Stephanie Larsen: 1st in Duo with Jonna, 3rd in POI, 4th in DI, 5th in Informative.

Jonna Rebensdorf: 1st in Duo with Stephanie, 6th in DI.

Iven Mendoza: 1st in POI

Stephanie also placed 2nd in individual sweepstakes. UNO placed 3rd as a team.

Sunday, January 31st:

Stephanie Larsen: 1st in Informative Speaking, 6th in DI.

Jonna Rebensdorf: 2nd in Prose, 6th in Informative Speaking.

Iven Mendoza: 1st in Prose

UNO placed 3rd as a team.