CF Forensics team wins big

The College of Central Florida’s Forensics team reeled in eight state titles in addition to other public speaking and interpretation awards at the Florida College System Activities Association Forensics State Championship (FCSSA) on Feb. 5-6 and at the Florida Intercollegiate Forensics Association State Championship on Feb. 19-21.

CF’s team won the Readers Theater State Champions and finished in second place in overall team sweeps and individual events team sweeps in the FCSSA competition.

Eileen Hernandez was named the state champion in three events, including poetry (interpretation), Persuasive and communication analysis (speaking).

Meanwhile, first-year members Edgar Soto (three awards) and Macy Ryan (two awards) also contributed for CF. Forensics coach Matthew Maddex was also voted FCSSA Coach of the Year.

In the FIFA competition, CF was named the state champion in Readers Theater and in the Limited Entry Division. Hernandez was also named the state champion in communication analysis and persuasive speaking.

In winning the persuasive speaking event, Hernandez also nabbed and invitation to compete at the Interstate Oratory Association, the oldest speaking competition in the United States. Hernandez and one other competitor from Florida will compete in the national contest in April.

Ryan was also named top novice in poetry interpretation at the FIFA competition, where CF took fourth place in individual event sweeps and fifth in overall team sweeps.

This is the most state titles that the CF Forensics team has ever won at the two Florida stat competition. This year also marks the first time that CF had won Readers Theater and Persuasive Speaking at both state competitions.