The Boise State University Speech and Debate team, known as the Talkin’ Broncos, won the 2025-2026 Pi Kappa Delta national championship in speech and debate, according to a March 24 announcement. The competition took place at Missouri State University in Springfield, Missouri, where over four hundred students from fifty-eight schools participated.
This victory marks the seventh national championship for the Talkin’ Broncos since their first title in 2005. The achievement highlights the team’s continued success on a national level and demonstrates their sustained excellence in collegiate speech and debate.
Manda Hicks, director of the speech and debate program, said, “Winning this tournament takes an extraordinary amount of preparation, adaptability, true teamwork and highest craft from every competitor. The students have been working all year to bring their best to the national stage in March, and their efforts received the ultimate award. This was not an accident or surprise; it was hard won — they did everything they could to prepare for this competition.”
Three members—Allie Hampton (senior), Jaxon Holmes (junior), and Chloe Sellers (senior)—were named Pi Kappa Delta All Americans out of only ten students nationwide receiving this honor. Several other team members earned top placements across various categories including Tournament Pentathlon awards: Ari Ashby placed second overall; Hampton fourth; Holmes fifth; Adam Pendergrass seventh.
In debate events such as Public Forum Debate and Team Public Debate, multiple teams reached semi-finalist or quarter-finalist rounds with individual speaker awards also presented to several Boise State competitors. In Individual Events competitions like informative speaking or broadcast journalism, Boise State participants secured numerous first-place finishes along with additional top-ten placements across categories.
The season will conclude for the Talkin’ Broncos at the International Public Debate Association Championship in Murfreesboro, Tennessee.
