Rice speech and debate team finishes season in the top 20

The George R. Brown Forensics Society, Rice’s speech and debate team, finished its season as one of the top 20 teams in the country.

Representing Rice at the National Parliamentary Debate Association Championship Tournament held at California State University, Long Beach were: front row, from left, Director of Forensics David Worth, Vera Ranneft, Michael Portal, Sonia Torres, Ryan Sun and Assistant Director of Forensics Shannon LaBove; and back row, from left, Jason Barton and Matthew Proffitt.

The six-member Rice team took 16th place in the National Parliamentary Debate Association Championship Tournament sweepstakes, held March 18-21 at California State University, Long Beach. One hundred sixty-four teams from 55 colleges participated in the nation’s largest intercollegiate debate organization tournament.

Team members Ryan Sun, a Will Rice College graduating senior, and Vera Ranneft, a Duncan College junior, advanced to the double-octofinal round in parliamentary debate, where they were defeated by the team from Missouri Western State University. Ranneft was the fifth overall debate speaker, out of 328 competitors.

Members of the Rice speech and debate team present the trophies they won at the American Forensics Association National Individual Events Tournament held at the University of Florida. Representing Rice were, from left, David Worth, Delaine Tubbs, Isaiah Rodriguez, Allison McKibban, Matthew Proffitt, Sylvia Omozee, Shannon LaBove and Jacob Mansfield.

Rice Director of Forensics David Worth served as director for the tournament.

The Rice team also fared well at the American Forensics Association National Individual Events Tournament, held April 2-4 at the University of Florida. The tournament, the most difficult national championship to qualify for, had 1,445 entries from 68 colleges.

Six students represented Rice in 22 events. Allison McKibban, a Will Rice College junior, was a semifinalist in extemporaneous speaking; Sylvia Omozee, a Baker College graduating senior, was a quarterfinalist in persuasive speaking; and Jacob Mansfield, a Hanszen College graduating senior, was a quarterfinalist in communication analysis.

The team is coached by Worth and Shannon LaBove, assistant director of forensics.