The Boise State Talkin’ Broncos begin the semester with a second-place sweepstakes win at the 50th annual Mike Dugaw Smelt Classic in Longview, Washington, hosted by Lower Columbia College. The tournament included season-long conference awards, with Allie Hampton (freshman, Meridian) receiving the Orv Iverson Award for the 2022-2023 top novice/junior competitor in the entire conference.
In public debate, Kiryn Willett (freshman, Boise) and Hampton both advanced to finals in junior division and closed out the bracket, sharing the tournament championship. Hampton received the eighth-place speaker award and Willett received the fourth-place speaker award. Ben Smoldon (junior, Boise) finished as a quarter-finalist and received the second-place speaker award. Anthony Thomas (freshman, Meridian) finished as a quarter-finalist. In open division, Dylan Pope (senior, Blackfoot) finished as a quarter-finalist and Israel Ceja (senior, Hailey) received the sixth-place speaker award.
In individual events, Hampton won the top junior division competitor in prose interpretation, persuasive speaking and impromptu speaking and took third-place in informative speaking. Brie Ellison (senior, Eagle) took first-place in both poetry interpretation and after dinner speaking and sixth-place in program oral interpretation. Smoldon took first-place in junior division informative speaking, second-place in duo interpretation, and fifth-place in editorial commentary. Willett took first-place in novice division extemporaneous speaking and made finalist in editorial commentary. Pope took second-place in duo interpretation, third-place in extemporaneous speaking, and fourth-place in after dinner speaking. Alison Hurst (junior, Boise) took third-place in editorial commentary. Thomas took fourth-place in both editorial commentary and junior division impromptu speaking. Kate Jacobson (senior, Boise) took fourth-place in dramatic interpretation. The Talkin’ Broncos continue their 2022-2023 season at Oregon State University in Corvallis, 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 mandahicks@boisestate.edu.