MavForensics: Top 10 in the nation for the 10th year!
We have a history of making champions. Ameres Groves is UNO’s 8th National Champion in the past 10 years.
- published: 2019/04/07
The American Forensics Association National Individual Events Tournament (AFA-NIET) recently held it’s 2019 National Championships on the campus of the University of Alabama and the MavForensics team is again among the top 10 teams in the country.
Senior and Journalism and Mass Communications major Ameres Groves is the latest national champion taking the title in the prose interpretation division. This is UNO’s 8th National Champion in the past 10 years. Groves also placed 6th in Program of Oral Interpretation and made the semi-finals (top 24) in Drama and quarter-finals of the Poetry division (top 12).
In addition to Groves’ national title, the MavForensics team placed 6th in the nation for the second consecutive year. The finish continues a streak of finishing in the Top 10 national rankings for the 10th straight year.
Seniors Abbie Perry and Sarah Maul were two of 13 students nationally to be selected for the prestigious All-American Team. Team selection requires a rigorous application process where students submit their academic transcripts and resumes, community service and forensics record of success.
UNO was the only school in the country to have two members named to the 2019 All-American Team. (only 12 schools in the nation had one.)
Sarah Maul finished 6th in Persuasive speaking and also made the semi-finals in Impromptu and quarter-finals in After Dinner Speaking.
In addition to the final round placings by Groves and Maul, UNO had 4 in semi-finals and 8 in quarter-finals in Tuscaloosa, AL.
Mavs making the semi-finals (top 12 in the nation) include:
Cèsar Magana-Linares / Persuasive Speaking
Sarah Maul / Impromptu Speaking
Abbie Perry / Communication Analysis
Ameres Groves / Dramatic Interpretation
Mavs making the quarter-finals were:
Katiana Fischer / Extemporaneous Speaking
Chloè Romero / Poetry Interpretation and Program of Oral Interpretation
Sammy Burville / Dramatic Interpretation
Megan Ojeda / Prose Interpretation and Program of Oral Interpretation
Ameres Groves / Poetry
Katherine Coonce / Program of Oral Interpretation
Sarah Maul / After Dinner Speaking
Maria Mendes Pinto / Persuasive Speaking
2019 National Champion Ameres Groves
MavForensincs 8th National Champion in the past 10 years
The MavForensics team is led by Abbie Syrek, Director and Cameron Logsdon, Assistant Director
Learn more about the team and program.
While the forensics program is housed in the College of Communication, Fine Arts and Media's School of Communication, it serves all university students. Forensics competitors have had a range of academic majors, including biotechnology, communication studies, computer science, mathematics, political science, business and education. Regardless of major, experience, or expertise, MavFORENSICS welcomes all students to join our unique, academically-centered team!
Although team auditions are typically held the summer before the season begins, we are always looking for new members. If you'd like more information about the team or how to join, please contact any member of our coaching staff.
Help support and join a winning team. All gifts are used to cover the expenses needed to travel, register students for competition, host tournaments at UNO, and purchase supplies. Operational expenses limit the number of students that we can welcome to our program. With your help, we can provide more students on campus the opportunity of a life-changing experiences that forensics offers.