Simpson Claims Two National Titles at Speech & Debate Tournament

The Simpson College Speech & Debate Team captured its first Speech and Debate Overall Team Championship while earning its fifth National Debate Team Championship in the last six years at the Pi Kappa Delta National Tournament hosted in March by the University of Central Florida.  

Several Storm team members also earned individual national titles and many others received high honors. The country’s largest speech and debate competition featured 70 colleges and universities of all sizes. 

“I am so impressed with how hard all 36 members of our nationals team worked,” said Spencer Waugh, director of Simpson’s speech and debate program. “Our team really wanted to make it five out of six in terms of a team championship in debate. The overall team championship was a bit of a surprise — something we had hoped to accomplish in the next five years — but it is a testament to how well our speech team has done this year.”   

Simpson College tallied 222 points in winning the overall national title—besting second place Boise State by 24 points. Simpson and Boise State also finished one-two in debate team points.  

Individually, Danielle Blake ’22, Blaine, Minn., and Drake Wood ’21, Blue Springs, Mo., were crowned national champions in Public Forum Debate. Teagan Townsend ’25, Olathe, Kan., took the national title for Varsity NFA LD. Mo Marks ’22, Des Moines, earned the national championship (top superior) in After Dinner Speaking. Ryan Magalhaes ’25, Indianola, received national champion honors in Novice NFA LD. 

Simpson also produced a pair of National Runners-Up: Ethan Humble ’23, Stewartville, Minn., in Broadcast Journalism and Ryan Corcoran ’25, Sioux Falls, S.D., in Impromptu Speaking. 

Here is a complete rundown of team and individual results: 

Combined Speech & Debate Team Points 
(1) Simpson College                                222 
(2) Boise State University                    198 
(3) Ohio University                                    190 
(4) Marian University                              164 
(5) University Of Central Florida   150 
(6) University of Alabama                     138 
(7) Tennessee State University         112 
(8) Casper College                                      104 
(9) Seton Hall University                      098 
(10) Morehouse College                        098 

Debate Team Points 
(1) Simpson College 
(2) Boise State University 
(3) Morehouse College 
(4) University of Central Florida 
(5) The College of Idaho 
(6) Ohio University 
(7) Point Loma Nazarene University 
(8) Marian University 
(9) Idaho State University 
(10) Kansas Wesleyan University 

Individual Events – Speech Team Points 
(1) Boise State University 
(2) University of Alabama 
(3) Ohio University 
(4) Simpson College 
(5) Seton Hall University 
(6) Marian University 
(7) Tennessee State University 
(8) Truman State University 
(9) Rice University 
(10) Casper College 

Debate Results: 
Public Forum Debate 
National Champions: Danielle Blake & Drake Wood 
Semi-Finalists: Monserrat Saucedo & Dylan Seibel 
Quarterfinalists: Scott Krueger & Foxx Harrington 
Quarterfinalists: Triniti Krauss & Kylie Doupnik 

 Junior Varsity Public Forum 
National Runner-Up: Abby Fry & Ryan Corcoran 

Varsity Parliamentary Debate: 
Semifinalists: Danielle Blake & Drake Wood
Quarterfinalists: Triniti Krauss & Teagan Townsend 
Quarterfinalists: Andrew Flory & Sam Porter   

Junior Varsity Parliamentary Debate: 
Semifinalists: Abby Fry & Ryan Corcoran 
Quarterfinalists: Malcolm Smart & Scott Krueger 

IPDA Debate: 
Quarterfinalist: Mo Marks 

Varsity NFA LD: 
National Champion: Teagan Townsend 
Quarterfinalist: Andrew Flory 
Quarterfinalist: Scout Perry 

Novice NFA LD: 
National Champion: Ryan Magalhaes

Individual Events Results: 
Elise Sturgeon: 
Pi Kappa All American 
Excellence in Prose Interpretation 
Superior in After Dinner Speaking 
Superior in Interviewing   

Kylie Doupnik: 
Pi Kappa Delta All American 
Excellence in Prose Interpretation 
Excellence in Program of Oral Interpretation 
Excellence in Communication Analysis 

Danielle Blake: 
Excellence in Broadcast Journalism 

Triniti Krauss: 
Superior in Broadcast Journalism 

Drake Wood: 
Excellence in Extemporaneous Speaking 

Mo Marks: 
National Champion (top superior) in After Dinner Speaking 
Third Place/Top Superior in Extemp Commentary 
Superior in Impromptu Speaking 
Superior in Extemporaneous Speaking 
Superior in Persuasive Speaking 
Excellence in Communication Analysis 
Excellence in Informative Speaking   

Ethan Humble: 
National Runner-Up/Top Superior in Broadcast Journalism 

Scout Perry: 
Top Superior in Congress 
Excellence in Extemp Commentary 
Excellence in Discussion 
Top Presiding Officer Award 

Ryan Corcoran: 
National-Runner -Up/Top Superior in Impromptu Speaking 
Superior in Extemporaneous Speaking 

Monserrat Saucedo: 
Superior in Interviewing 

Alyssa Beckwith: 
Excellence in Extemp Commentary  

Andrew Flory: 
Excellence in Extemporaneous Commentary 
Excellence in Broadcast Journalism 
Excellence in Extemporaneous Speaking   

Faithyna Leonard: 
Pi Kappa Delta All American 
Excellence in Discussion 

Ryan Magalhaes: 
Excellence in Impromptu Speaking 

Abby Fry: 
Excellence in Broadcast Journalism 
Excellence in Extemporaneous Speaking 
Excellence in Interviewing   

Will Keck: 
Excellence in Broadcast Journalism 
Excellence in Interviewing 

Tempest Allred: 
Excellence in Interviewing 
Excellence in Junior Varsity IPDA 

Sam Porter: 
Excellence in Interviewing 

Malcolm Smart: 
Excellence in Interviewing