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CORVALLIS - Two members of the Oregon State University Forensics Team made strong showings in recent competitions in Phoenix, Ariz.

Oregon State senior Renee Rider, of Phoenix, showed hometown fans her abilities with a third place finish in impromptu speaking in the Glendale Community College competition. Rider also finished sixth in impromptu speaking in the Arizona State University portion of the competition.

Sophomore teammate Kathy LaVeine, of Tigard, advanced to the semifinal round of the ASU impromptu speaking competition before being eliminated.

In parliamentary debate at Arizona State, Rider and LaVeine finished second to Northwest College in Seattle in the all Northwest final round. Rider finished fifth speaker overall in parliamentary debate. The OSU debate team argued topics ranging from freedom of speech to the international monetary fund to diversity in the United States.

The ASU competitions are considered indicators of national success, said Trischa Knapp, OSU director of forensics and assistant professor of speech communication. Making it to finals in both individual events and parliamentary debate bodes well for Rider and the OSU team, Knapp added.

Both Rider, a wildlife science major, and LaVeine, a speech communication major, are forensics veterans who traveled with the OSU team last spring to the International Forensics Association Championships in Lisbon, Portugal. In Lisbon, Rider placed third in parliamentary debate and fifth in informative speaking and LaVeine made it to the semifinals in impromptu speaking.