Reclaiming Triumph: Spelman Speech and Debate Team Sweeps at the 2026 National HBCU Speech and Debate Championship

Last Thursday through Sunday, Spelman College’s distinguished Speech and Debate Team ventured to take on the annual National HBCU Speech and Debate Championship. The tournament features some of the most decorated debaters attending HBCUs and, in true undaunted manner, the team representing Spelman College excelled in an array of competitive categories. Amidst their myriad of accomplishments, the team placed first in the National Parliamentary Debate Association (NPDA), Extemporaneous Speaking and International Public Debate Association (IPDA) and placed second in overall Debate Sweepstakes and Slam Poetry. 

“I was really proud to see that all five of our Spelman International Public Debate Association (IPDA) debaters ended up advancing to quarterfinals. This was a very huge accomplishment for our team and it was just a really proud moment,” Spelman Speech and  Debate President Sophia Wade said. 

Alongside their multitude of titles from the tournament, the team also celebrated wins in the impressive magnitude of their rigor. In the IPDA, all five Spelman debaters in the division advanced to the Octofinals, while three out of the four overall quarterfinalists were Spelman competitors. The team earned over 15 titles overall, with 21 students contributing to the collective. Furthermore, in the NPDA, debaters Jocelyn Baker and Laila R. Johnson (C '2027) reclaimed their previous win, reaffirming their championship status after they both spent their fall semesters abroad.

“What I’ve found is that often other schools engage in boundary work with Spelman’s debaters because they don’t believe, for whatever reason, that an all Black women’s college can validly represent an HBCU. So, shoutout to the haters, here’s the trophy,” Johnson said. 

“A competition at the national level is always an honor to attend but HBCU Nationals is an experience far beyond explanation. With a team like SCSD, we not only came, but we conquered,” sophomore Political Science major Daysia Ward said. 

Wade emphasized the team’s intentionality on community and advocacy during preparation for the tournament. She shared that the edge for Spelman debaters is that the team supports their teammates relentlessly, and argues for what they truly believe in. 

“It was really heartwarming for me to see the speakers and debaters cheering for each other at the award ceremony, especially coming into this role as President. My main goal was to keep the community aspect of our team at the center of our space," Wade said. "We can always compete and do well when we compete, but that community is what really keeps our space going."

Johnson reflected on her and her partner’s approach to the tournament. 

“Coming into Nationals after winning first place last year was somewhat nerve-racking. This year, Jocelyn and I decided to make it fun by going to the Innovation Lab and making buttons with each other’s faces on them and wearing them throughout the whole competition," she said. "It felt so nice when they called our names for the second year in a row as the National HBCU Parliamentary Debate Champions this year, and we celebrated while wearing each other's faces on our lapel in the face of our competition." 

As the team continues to celebrate their achievements, they highlight that their distinction extends beyond titles alone. Entirely student-run, The Spelman Speech and Debate Team continues to stand out from the majority and the teams that receive more institutional support. The team continues to advocate for increased resources and recognition, and recognizes the work of the Provost Office for aiding in this process. 

 “Spelman Speech and Debate has historically been a student organization that has been pushed to the shadows. Over the past two years we’ve been able to increase our travel and campus presence, and it’s been so beautiful to watch. I think now we’ve gotten the chance to prove not only to our peers, but to our institution that we continuously operate in excellence and we deserve institutional support and recognition,” Baker said.

 Speech and Debate Team Achievements: 

Parliamentary Debate: 

First Place: Jocelyn Baker (C '2027) and Laila R. Johnson (C '2027) 

International Public Debate: 

First Place: Sophia Wade (C '2028) 

Semifinalists: Makayla Rivera (C '2028), Mariam Mohammed (C '2029) and Taylor Ali-Robinson (C '2029) 

Quarterfinalists: Yahira Willis (C '2029) 

Extemporaneous Speaking: 

First Place: Sophia Wade (C '2028) 

Third Place: Ryley Anthony (C '2027) 

Fourth Place: Anaya Northern (C '2028) 

Homiletics Speaking: 

Fourth Place: Kennedy Truitt (C '2028) 

Impromptu Speaking: 

Fourth Place: Ryley Anthony (C '2027) 

Fifth Place: Myah Crawford (C '2029) 

Dramatic Interpretation: 

Sixth Place: Ryley Anthony (C '2027) 

Poetry Interpretation: 

Third Place: Shelah Boyd (C '2028) 

Fifth Place: Myah Crawford (C '2029) 

Slam Poetry: 

Second Place: Shelah Boyd (C '2028)

Fifth Place: Bryanna Hightower (C '2028) 

Overall Sweepstakes 

Second Place: Debate Sweepstakes 

Third Place: Overall Sweepstakes 

Fourth Place: Speech Sweepstakes