The forensics team closed the season by winning the National Tournament Championship and a golden plaque in Portland, Oregon team officials said Tuesday.

“I feel really good and the team did fabulous this year,” Joseph Evans, 20, English major, said. “Because the team won many medals and accumulated points throughout the year we won the Silvia D. Mariner award, a perpetual sweepstakes.”

Forensics co-director Francesca Bishop believed the team should be recognized for all its hard work and effort.

“It has been one of the best years we have had in a long time,” she said.

It has been a combination of a great group of students who worked really hard and are blessed with natural talent and are people who achieve their goals, she said.

Although students worked hard, it does not always guarantee a win because the tournament is difficult and there is tough competition.

“It is not an easy task to do. It takes luck to win, as well as talent, even though one is prepared,” Bishop said.

Furthermore, she said she believed the national tournament was a success.

In debate Parliamentary division, two teams received a gold medal, which consisted of Lillian Cavalieri in the senior division and Evans in the senior division.

The second team consisted of Katelyn Curran and Courtney Draper.

The team that received a silver medal in the parlimentary division was Stirling McKenzie and Robert Maxwell.

“Overall, as a team we got the gold medal in debate because many people won individually,” Evans said.

In the individual speaking divisions, many members demonstrate excellence.

Curran won a silver medal in impromptu speaking.

“I won a silver medal in extemporaneous speaking, where they give you 30 minutes to do research and prepare a seven minute speech,” Evans said.

Charlie Linehan got a silver medal in impromptu speaking, whichis a contest where one is given less than two minutes to prepare a speech.

“We had a successful tournament and a great way to end the year,” Evans said.

Cavalieri said she believed she and the team was well-deserving of its many wins throughout the season and at the national competition.

“I think it went pretty well,” Lillian Cavalieri, 24, political science major, said.

Cavalieri reflected on the tools that got her medals.

“Hard work and the coaching that was provided by Mark (Crossman) and Francesca (Bishop), they made sure that your style is what the judges at the tournament were looking for, so that specifically helped us,” Cavalieri said.

In addition it is precisely about knowing how to adapt the judges’ style and what they want, she won a gold medal in impromptu, an individual speech where a quotation is given and one has to analyze it and give examples, and one silver medal in extemporaneous speaking.

Cavalieri’s topics dealt with issues such as Russia and if it is a threat to the United States.

Her second round was about whether the economic bailout affects the stock market and her third round was about North Korean missiles and if it is significant to global warming.

“I have learned that for a team to succeed it is important to be on the same page and one needs to cooperate with one another,” Cavalieri said.