During the weekend of April 5th-7th, The George Mason University Forensics Team traveled to the University of North Carolina-Charlotte to compete at the American Forensics Association National Speech Tournament. Mason placed 3rd out of almost sixty schools, edging out teams from the University of Alabama, Bradley University, University of Illinois-Chicago, Cornell University and the University of Minnesota. Individual results are as follows, where semifinalists indicates top 12 in the country and quarterfinalist would be top 24:
Prem Ganesan, Senior Economics Major from Minnesota: Quarter-Finalist Prose Interpretation, 4th Poetry Interpretation, 3rd After Dinner Speaking, 3rd Program Oral Interpretation, National Champion Duo Interpretation (with Sanyu Mwassa), National Champion Informative Speaking, 2nd Place Overall Speaker.
Freya Hutton, Junior Philosophy Major from Virginia: Quarter-Finalist After Dinner Speaking, Quarter-Finalist Impromptu Speaking, 3rd Extemporaneous Speaking, 2nd Place Persion, and 18th Overall Speaker.
Sanyu Mwassa, First Year Communication Major from Minnesota, Semi-Finalist Prose Interpretation, Semi-Finalist Program Oral Interpretation, National Champion Duo Interpretation (with Prem Ganesan), 19th Overall Speaker.
Samuel Dalachinsky, Sophomore Psychology Major from Florida: Semi-Finalist Duo Interpretation (with Cassidy Gunter), 4th Informative Speaking.
Grace Cora, Sophomore Government Major from Virginia, Quarter-Finalist Duo Interpretation (with Lexi Martinez), Quarter-Finalist Persuasion, and Quarter-Finalist Prose Interpretation.
Nicholas Koch, First Year Theater Major from Texas, Quarter-Finalist After Dinner Speaking, Quarter-Finalist Duo Interpretation (with Ian Candy), Quarter-Finalist Program Oral Interpretation.
Ian Candy, First Year Government and Neuroscience Majors from South Dakota, Quarter-Finalist Duo Interpretation (with Nicholas Koch), Quarter-Finalist After Dinner Speaking.
Lexi Martinez, Junior, Social Justice and Human Rights and Legal Studies, Texas: Quarter-Finalist Program Oral Interpretation, Quarter-Finalist Duo Interpretation (with Grace Cora).
Neelam Gurung, Sophomore Government Major from Idaho, Semi-Finalist Program Oral Interpretation, Quarter-Finalist Prose Interpretation.
Cassidy Gunter, Sophomore Criminology from Virginia, Semi-Finalist Duo Interpretation (with Sam Dalachinsky).
Camila Canelas Soto, First Year Government Major from Virginia, Semi-Finalist Persuasion.
Vera Sandi Alvarado, Sophomore Forensics Science Major from Virginia, Quarter-Finalist Poetry Interpretation.
Ahna Guilluame, First Year Psychology Major from Florida, Quarter-Finalist Poetry Interpretation.
Emma Redden, Senior Communication Major from Philadelphia, Quarter-Finalist Impromptu Speaking.
**Outstanding New Coach: Nicj Steinmetz (Mason Alum 2021)
Also contributing to the team’s success, Atiya Idris Junior Health Administration major from Virginia, Ava Parker Junior Health Administration major from Virginia, Sujay Khona Junior Film and Business major from Virginia, Alexandria Laswell Junior Government Major from Virginia, Whitney Payne Junior Film Major from Virginia, Emma Schaible First Year Government Major from New Jersey, and Andrew Graves, First Year Government Major from Philadelphia.
The team is coached by Dawn Lowry; Tyler Watkins, BA Political Communication '15, MA Health Communication '17; Brennan Mock, Communication Graduate Student, Doniven Hill-Bush, Communication Graduate Student, Emily Williams, BA Sharr School Of Government ’23, Tom Murabito, BS Sharr School of Government ’21, and Xavier Clark, PhD Communication ’24.
April 14, 2025