The Boise State Speech and Debate team started their 2022-2023 season winning the Fran Tanner Invitational hosted by the College of Southern Idaho in Twin Falls, ID, Sept. 30 – Oct. 1. The Talkin’ Broncos won first-place in Overall Sweepstakes at the tournament, which included competitors from Utah State University, Bellevue College, Weber State, Northwest Nazarene University, College of Western Idaho, College of Southern Idaho, Idaho State University and University of Idaho.
In Novice Public Debate, top seed Kiryn Willett (freshman, Boise) won tournament debate champion and received the fourth-place speaker award. In Open Public Debate, Dylan Pope (senior, Blackfoot) took second-place overall and received the fourth-place speaker award. Both Israel Ceja (senior, Hailey) and Sara Beck (junior, Idaho Falls) finished as quarter-finalists.
In Individual Events, Pope led the Talkin’ Broncos with a first-place finish in both after dinner speaking and duo interpretation. Allie Hampton (freshman, Meridian) took first-place in prose interpretation and fourth-place in informative speaking. Kate Jacobson (senior, Boise) took first-place in informative speaking and fourth-place in dramatic interpretation. Ben Smoldon (senior, Nampa) took first-place in duo interpretation.
Other top competitors include: Brie Ellison (senior, Eagle ), who took second-place in poetry interpretation and sixth-place in impromptu speaking; and Beck, who took third-place in persuasive speaking and fourth-place in prose interpretation.
The Talkin’ Broncos continue their 2022-2023 season with their first conference tournament, the Steve Hunt Invitational, hosted by Lewis and Clark College in Portland, Oregon.
The Jeker Family Trust generously supports the Talkin’ Broncos in part. For more information about the Talkin’ Broncos, contact Dr. Manda Hicks, director of forensics at Boise State at mandahicks@boisestate.edu.