Talkin’ Broncos speech and debate team starts season with win at Fran Tanner Invitational

Talkin' Broncos debate team group photo, photo by Priscilla Grover

The Boise State Speech and Debate team started their 2024-2025 season with a first-place overall finish at the Fran Tanner Invitational hosted by the College of Southern Idaho in Twin Falls, Sept. 27-28. The tournament included competitors from University of Utah, Carroll College, College of Idaho, Linfield University, Casper College, Weber State, Northwest Nazarene University, College of Western Idaho, College of Southern Idaho, Idaho State University and University of Idaho.

In both open and junior divisions of public debate, top seeds Kiryn Willett (junior, Boise) and Jaxon Holmes (sophomore, Garden City) each went undefeated in six preliminary rounds and were awarded tournament gold. Allie Hampton (junior, Meridian) finished with a 4-2 record and was awarded tournament silver in open division. In junior division, Ariana Ashby (freshman, Idaho Falls) took gold, Adam Pendergrass (sophomore, Nampa) took silver, and Sam Kleman (sophomore, Boise) took bronze. In novice division, Cadence Marang (junior, Nampa) took gold.

In individual events, Hampton led the Talkin' Broncos with first-place finishes in informative speaking, extemporaneous speaking and prose interpretation. Pendergrass took first-place in both persuasive speaking and impromptu speaking, second-place in extemporaneous speaking, and third-place in duo interpretation. Willett tied for first-place in impromptu speaking and took third place in after dinner speaking. Ryan Wind (sophomore, Meridian) took first-place in after dinner speaking and second-place in prose interpretation.

Other top competitors included: Angel Dang (sophomore, Idaho Falls), who tied for second-place in extemporaneous speaking and took third-place in both impromptu speaking and prose interpretation; Kleman, who took second-place in communication analysis; Anthony Thomas (junior, Meridian), who took second-place in persuasive speaking; Chloe Sellers (junior, Twin Falls), who took second-place in after dinner speaking; Ashby, who took second-place in informative speaking; and Holmes, who took third-place in duo interpretation.

The Talkin' Broncos continue their 2024-2025 season with their first conference tournament, the Steve Hunt Invitational, hosted by Lewis and Clark College in Portland, Oregon. The Talkin' Broncos are supported in part through the generosity of the Jeker Family Trust. For more information about the Talkin' Broncos, contact Manda Hicks, director of forensics at Boise State at [email protected]

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