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Talkin’ Broncos take first-place overall in latest competition

The 2022-2023 Talkin' Broncos speech and debate team at the amphitheater at Boise State

The Boise State Talkin’ Broncos finished regional competition with a first-place sweepstakes win at the Earl Wells Speakeasy hosted by Oregon State University Feb. 11-12, 2023.

In public debate, Brie Ellison (senior, Eagle) and Allie Hampton (freshman, Meridian) shared the tournament championship with both winning their final round. Ellison received the second-place speaker award and Hampton won the eighth-place speaker award.
Israel Ceja (senior, Hailey), Dylan Pope (senior, Blackfoot), Kate Jacobson (senior, Boise), Ben Smoldon (junior, Boise) and Kiryn Willett (freshman, Boise) all finished as octofinalists.

In individual events, Hampton led the team with first-place finishes in both persuasive speaking and impromptu speaking and a second-place win in prose interpretation. Ellison took first-place in poetry interpretation, third-place in both program oral interpretation and dramatic interpretation and fourth-place in after dinner speaking. Jacobson took first place in dramatic interpretation, second-place in informative speaking and fifth-place in prose interpretation. Smoldon took first-place in duo interpretation and sixth-place in informative speaking. Pope took first-place in duo interpretation. Willett took second-place in novice division extemporaneous speaking, third-place in novice division impromptu speaking and sixth-place in prose interpretation.

The Talkin’ Broncos continue their 2022-2023 season at the Pi Kappa Delta National Comprehensive Tournament at West Chester University in West Chester, Pennsylvania. 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.