z10. UT

This past weekend, the Hendrickson Speech & Debate team competed in the University of Texas Tournament of Champions qualifying tournament.  This is one of the most elite tournaments in the country and draws competitors from all over the nation.  As a team, Hendrickson took 6th place Overall Sweepstakes and 4th place Debate Sweepstakes out of the 130 schools in attendance, including Bronx Science, Bellarmine College Prep, Heritage Hall, The Kinkaid School, and Strake Jesuit. 

Senior Nico Williams and Junior Elan Wilson were crowned tournament Champions in Policy Debate in a field of 122 teams!  As a result of this finish, the boys earned a bid to the prestigious Debate Tournament of Champions in Kentucky in April.

Additionally, Marcus Ayala, Robert Boley and Calvin Vu all advanced to the semifinal round of extemporaneous speaking.  This finish earned each of them bids to the Extemporaneous Tournament of Champions in Chicago in May. 

Of the 20 students travelling, 16 advanced beyond preliminary competition. 

Individual results are as follows:

CX Debate

Champions – Nico Williams / Elan Wilson

Double Octofinals – Ayu Sofyan / Christina Bui

Double Octofinals – Cody Snow / Emma Ha

Domestic Extemp

Semifinals – Robert Boley

Foreign Extemp

Semifinals – Robert Boley, Calvin Vu, Marcus Ayala

Congressional Debate

Semifinals – Siegen Bretzke

Novice CX

Champions – Trey Gutierrez / Dylan Scott

Octofinals – Tim Benton / Alex Nguyen

Octofinals – Nabila Nader / Anthony Ngo

Octofinals – McKenna Lucas / Mahnoor Faheem