Rice Speech and Debate Closes Out Fall ’23 With 56 Awards
Rice’s academic competitors have had an exciting and successful Fall semester! Combining established rhetorical practices with new and innovative ideas, these students continue to challenge convention, speak to empower, and, as always, represent Rice with excellence. Results from October and November are detailed below.
Lewis & Clark College, October 14-15, Portland, OR3rd Overall Debate Sweepstakes
Max Renteria and Arjun Surya: Quarterfinalists, Varsity Parliamentary Debate
Manna Trevino and Kelly Yang: Quarterfinalists, Varsity Parliamentary Debate
Kyle Sanderfer and Claire Wang: Quarterfinalists, Varsity Parliamentary Debate
Nikki Stancik and Rija Naqvi: Quarterfinalists, Varsity Parliamentary Debate
Anna Phan and William Wang: Octafinalists, Varsity Parliamentary Debate
Rohan Gupta and Rahul Shah: 1st place JV Parliamentary Debate
Debate Speaker Awards
Kelly Yang: Top Speaker Varsity Parliamentary Debate
Rahul Shah: 4th Speaker JV Parliamentary Debate
Rohan Gupta: 2nd JV Speaker JV Parliamentary Debate
Seton Hall, October 22
5th Place Sweepstakes
Michelle Abiero
1st After Dinner Speaking
Maya Adhikari
2nd Communication Analysis
5th Informative Speaking
Kevin Barry
3rd Informative Speaking
Mercer University, October 22-23, Macon, GA
Overall: 1st Place Sweepstakes
Kyle Sanderfer and Arjun Surya: Semifinalists, Varsity Parliamentary Debate
Nikki Stancik and Rija Naqvia: Semifinalists, Varsity Parliamentary Debate
Manna Trevino and Anna Phan: Quarterfinalists, Varsity Parliamentary Debate
Debate Speaker Awards
Kyle Sanderfer: 2nd Speaker Varsity Parliamentary Debate
Arjun Surya: 4th Speaker Varsity Parliamentary Debate
Nikki Stancik: 5th Speaker Varsity Parliamentary Debate
Rija Naqvi: 6th Speaker Varsity Parliamentary Debate
Anna Phan: 7th Speaker Varsity Parliamentary Debate
Manna Trevino: 10th Speaker Varsity Parliamentary Debate
Colorado College, October 28-29, Colorado Springs, CO
Part 1
Michelle Abiero
2nd After Dinner Speaking
Daijah Wilson
3rd Poetry Interpretation
Part 2
Michelle Abiero
2nd After Dinner Speaking
David Worth, William Wang, Kelly Yang, Rohan Gupta, Kyle Sanderfer, Mana Trevino, Arjun Surya, Anna Phan, Max Renteria, Nikki Stancik, Shay Olaifa, Rija Naqvi, Maya Adhikari, Daijah Wilson, Chloe Pesqueira, Jewel Moore-Young, Michelle Abiero, Shannon LaBove
University of the Pacific and SJDCC November 4-5, Stockton, CA
Overall Award for the Event: 2nd Swing Sweepstakes (combined Part 1 and 2 points)
Part 1
Shay Olaifa
2nd After Dinner Speaking
5th Prose Interpretation
Chloe Pesqueira
6th Impromptu
5th Persuasive Speaking
5th Informative Speaking
Maya Adhikari
4th Informative Speaking
1st Communication Analysis
Daijah Wilson
2nd Poetry Interpretation
Part 2
1st Place Overall Sweepstakes (4 year)
3rd Place Overall Sweepstakes (2 and 4 year)
Nikki Stancik and Rija Naqvi: 1st Place Varsity Parliamentary Debate
Max Renteria and Arjun Surya: Quarterfinalists, Varsity Parliamentary Debate
Manna Trevino and Kyle Sanderfer: Quarterfinalists, Varsity Parliamentary Debate
William Wang and Anna Phan: Quarterfinalists, Varsity Parliamentary Debate
Debate Speaker Awards
William Wang: 3rd Speaker Varsity Parliamentary Debate
Rija Naqvi: 4th Speaker Varsity Parliamentary Debate
Shay Olaifa
1st After Dinner Speaking
1st Prose Interpretation
Michelle Abiero
5th After Dinner Speaking
Maya Adhikari
2nd Informative Speaking
Dajaih Wilson
3rd Poetry Interpretation
Jewell Moore-Young
4th Programmed Oral Interpretation
AFA-NST District III Fall Tournament November 11, Virtual
Maya Adhikari
2nd Informative Speaking
Kevin Barry
4th Informative Speaking
4th Persuasive
Pranav Nagajothi
2nd Extemporaneous Speaking
Shay Olaifa
5th Prose Interpretation
Please join us in congratulating these academic competitors! This concludes competition for the Fall semester. The team will next compete in January at multiple events.
Rice Speech and Debate is coached by David Worth and Shannon LaBove. For more information, please visit humanities.rice.edu/speech-and-debate.