April 21, 2026
The Tallahassee State College (TSC) Speech and Debate Team has concluded an outstanding season with a strong performance at the Phi Rho Pi National Tournament, hosted by TSC in Washington, D.C. The group brought home three team awards and 14 individual finishes.
The team earned a Gold Award in the Individual Events Team Sweepstakes and a Silver Award in the Overall Team Sweepstakes. This marks the 26th consecutive year TSC has secured a team sweepstakes award, making it the second-longest winning streak among active colleges in Phi Rho Pi.
Along with those honors, the team also earned enough points to capture the Sylvia Mariner Perpetual Team Sweepstakes Award for the first time in program history. The award is determined by the total points earned by all teams at the national tournament, with the highest-scoring program claiming the trophy before all points are reset for the following year.
Notably, every TSC competitor advanced to elimination rounds, with each member contributing to the team’s historic finish.
Individually, Samuel King earned Gold in Duo Interpretation alongside Natalie Gordon, as well as Gold in Poetry Interpretation, Silver in Prose Interpretation, and fifth Overall Top Speaker in Individual Events. Gordon won Gold in Duo Interpretation with King, Gold in Program Oral Interpretation, and Bronze in Dramatic Interpretation.
Olivia Shull captured Gold in Duo Interpretation with Grace Hartman and Gold in Dramatic Interpretation. Hartman claimed Gold in Duo Interpretation with Shull and Silver in Informative Speaking.
Jack Hopkins earned Silver in Extemporaneous Speaking. Lillyana Humphreys brought home Bronze in IPDA Debate. Mya Richardson earned Bronze in Poetry Interpretation.
“It’s been a season filled with hard work, growth, and unforgettable memories. Competing against some of the best schools in the nation and coming out on top makes the journey even more meaningful, and it’s a reminder that every practice along the way was worth it,” said Grace Hartman, a sophomore majoring in communications.
The team’s ending in Washington, D.C. completes a successful season for the program, during which the team also earned multiple state titles and the Phi Rho Pi Regional championship.