The NIU Speech Team placed 17 out of 120 at the National Oratorical Tournament in San Diego, Calif., the weekend of April 10 to 13.

NIU senior Dan Donnelly, senior Mike Kirch and sophomore Lori Lesniewski attended the tournament.

“It’s quite an honor to do that well, as both an individual and on a team,” Donnelly said. “It capped my speech career.”

“This is real good for only three members attending. ISU usually defeats us in the state tournaments, but ISU received 19th place in the San Diego Nationals,” said Greg Solomon, a freshman member.

Lesniewski said she was happy not only because ISU usually receives better scores in the state tournaments, but because ISU had four participants and NIU had three.

In San Diego, Lesniewski said, she was in two events—the informative speech and the duo interpretive with Mike Kirch. She said Kirch was in three events while Donnelly was in five.

“By the time I get to their (Kirch’s and Donnelly’s) level, I hope to be as good as they are,” Lesniewski said. She said being on the speech team complements her major, which is communications studies.

Making speeches provides her with public speaking experience, she said. By researching the information, she gains knowledge in diverse areas she never would have learned about if she were not on the team, she said.

“Being on the speech team does not affect my studies as long as I do not let it become paramount,” Lesniewski said.

NIU also received fifth place at the National Pi Kappa Delta Tournament in LaCrosse, Wis., the weekend of March 19 to 22.

NIU senior Sheryl Hoefler said the National Pi Kappa Delta Tournament attracted 1,000 student participants from 88 schools in 34 states. Hoefler said she and junior Mark Byrd were partners at the debate in LaCrosse and were the third place team.

oefler said she and Byrd competed against six other schools, including University of Wisconsin-Madison, until they lost in the semi-finals to Southwestern University-Missouri.

Solomon said each participant at LaCrosse ranked in the “excellent” division in various categories. He said a “superior” rating is the equivalent of being in the top 10 percent of the nation. An “excellent” rating is identical to qualifying in the top 30 percent of the nation.