By Northern State’s speech and debate team returned home as public forum division champions after competing at the Off-Broadway Swing, a collegiate-level speech and debate tournament in New York City.
The tournament, at Hofstra University, was earlier this month and featured students from 20 campuses.
In addition to winning the public forum event, Northern’s Hannah Smith placed second and Liv Ashley third overall as speakers. In other events, Abiah George earned bronze in international public debate and finished seventh in impromptu speaking. Haylee Bohnet also earned points competing in dramatic and prose speaking.
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Northern finished second overall as a team.
“Transitioning to a new form of debate this fall proved challenging, but the hard work of the team paid off as we returned to this exceptional tournament and came home with another debate championship,” Justin Gus Foote, director of Northern’s speech and debate program, said in a news release. “I could not be prouder of the work my students have done not just in competition, but in the support and encouragement they provide each other.”
Northern State speech and debate coach Justin Gus Foote, left, gathers with team members Haylee Bohnet, Abiah George, Liv Ashley and Hannah Smith while in New York City for a December competition. Northern placed second as a team. Courtesy photo from Northern State University.
Foote said the new form of debate was public forum in which Smith and Ashley argued the topic of the use of executive orders and whether it has undermined democratic accountability in the U.S.
“Experiencing the unique culture of the nation’s largest city provides the students with contextual knowledge of their own lives. Getting to then combine this experience with what they have learned in practice and their own coursework truly allows the students to see how applicable their academic learning can be used outside of the classroom.”
Foote said first-year students added to the team’s success with research and practice. They included Andi Mehrer, Eden Ford, Dexter Hanson, Lauren Carpenter, Elena Bishop, Kim Portillo and Jericho Jones.
The team next competes in Springfield, Mo., at the Pi Kappa Delta National Tournament March 18-22, 2026.
