Boise State Wins Seventh National Championship

The Boise State debate and speech team has won its second national championship in the last six years, as the Broncos are coming home with hardware from the Pi Kappa Delta National Championship Tournament in Portland, Oregon.

These championships seem to be coming in pairs--the teams that have won championships have won more than one.  The football team has won two (one each in junior college and I-AA), the cheerleaders have won three national championships and now the debate team has won two national titles. 

Boise State's intellect and debating skills were in top form as the Broncos beat Oregon State, Michigan, Nebraska, Texas A&M, Arkansas and dozens of other schools in head-to-head competition on an even playing field.   In addition to the two National Championships, the Talkin' Broncos have also captured two runner-up trophies.

This win was not the result of a few good performances.  Throughout the competition, the Bronco team was at the top of the standings in each individual segment.  Nowhere was this more demonstrated than in the Impromptu Speaking, Extemporaneous Speaking and Informative Speaking categories in which Boise State dominated the podium.  The Boise State student group received one Superior Award (Jon Agnew) and six Excellent Awards (Taylor Bruun, Debra Groberg, Sam Pagano, Mallory Pouraghi, freshman Cassandra Sullivan and sophomore Josh Watkins) in Impromptu Speaking.  Two Broncos (Agnew and Mike Fitzgerald) were honored with Superior Awards and two more (Pagano and Sullivan) captured Excellent honors in Extemporaneous Speaking.  In Informative Speaking, Josh Watkins was Superior, while Monica Cutler, junior Sabonn Dammarell, Debra Groberg and Cassandra Sullivan all received Excellent marks from the Championship judges. 

Groberg also received a Superior mark in Dramatic Interpretation.  Sam Pagano received Superior marks in Poetry, Discussion and Oral Interpretation.  Sadonn Dammerell was judged Excellent in After Dinner Speaking and To Honor Immigrants and Superior in Prose.  Watkins also received an Excellent grading from the judges in Dramatic Interpretation and another Excellent Award in Persuasive Speaking.  Mallory Douraghi won an Excellent Award in the category To Honor Immigrants.  Lauren Bramwell received an Excellent Award in Oral Interpretation.  Fitzgerald received an Excellent Award in Persuasive Speaking.  Jessica Gresl was given Excellent in both Prose and Broadcast Journalism.  Ben Larsen captured Superior Awards in both Prose and Oral Interpretation and an Excellent mark in Communication Analysis.  Jon Agnew was judged Superior in the Editorial Impromptu category.  Taylor Bruun won an Excellent Award in Persuasive Speaking.  Taylor Brook also received Superior in Editorial Impromptu and Howie Long captured an Excellent trophy in Broadcast Journalism. 

Watkins and Larsen received an Excellent Award in the Dramatic Duo competition.  Lauren Bramwell and Tanya Medukha received Excellent Awards in the NPDA competition and Taylor Bruun and John Agnew were awarded Excellent trophies in the Open competition. 



They Are the Champions!!!!!!

I give my highest salute to this group of Broncos--super job!