Award Winning NOVA Speech and Debate Team Brings Home the Gold

March 22, 2024 / Our Nighthawks

NOVA’s Speech and Debate Team, comprised of students from the Alexandria, Annandale and Manassas campuses, won numerous awards at the invitation-only 2024 Pacific Southwest Collegiate Forensics Association “Jim Wyman” Spring Championships.

The competition was held at Moorpark College, a community college in Ventura County, Cal., from February 23 to 25. NOVA was the only college outside of California and Arizona that accepted an invitation to participate.

NOVA’s team competed against teams from 16 other community colleges and 11 universities in public speaking, debate and acting events.

Team members competed in several events and took home:

First Place in Limited Entry Team Sweeps
First Place in Duo for Joel Bucarey and Denny Martinez
Second Place in Duo for Cara Hillocks-Martinez and Trey Phillips
Third Place in Dramatic Interpretation for Denny Martinez
Fifth place for Cara Hillocks-Martinez in Dramatic Interpretation
Seventh place in Prose for Cara Hillocks-Martinez

The team will host a forensics showcase that is open to the public on Monday, March 25, from 3 p.m. until 6 p.m. in the Barbara A. Wyles Auditorium on the Alexandria Campus (AA-196).

The four-member NOVA team line up and show their medals. From left, Cara Hillocks-Martinez, Denny Martinez, Joel Bucarey and Trey Phillips. — The four-member NOVA team includes (from left) Cara Hillocks-Martinez, Denny Martinez, Joel Bucarey and Trey Phillips.

Submitted by:
Bob Hull, NOVA Foundation, RHull@nvcc.edu