OCT
New LCCC Speech and Debate Team earns awards at Fran Tanner Invitational
CHEYENNE, Wyoming – Laramie County Community College’s newly formed Speech and Debate
Team earned multiple awards in its first collegiate competition on Sept. 26-27, 2026,
at the Fran Tanner Invitational in Twin Falls, Idaho.
Hosted by the College of Southern Idaho, the tournament brought together competitors from community colleges and universities across the region. About half of the competition pool came from four-year universities and established speech and debate programs. For many LCCC students, the tournament was their first collegiate competition – and for some, their first speech competition at any level.
LCCC students competed in several speech and debate categories, earning placements in interpretation, public speaking and International Public Debate Association debate.
Zach Fernandez placed seventh in After Dinner Speaking, seventh in Prose Interpretation and 12th in IPDA Debate. Adriyanna Potter placed sixth in Prose Interpretation. Jazlyn Matthews placed sixth in Dramatic Interpretation, while Uriah Graham and Jared Talmadge tied for seventh in the category. Grace Nagy placed 13th in Dramatic Interpretation.
Myra Prince placed sixth in Program Oral Interpretation, and Andrew “Yuri” Petry placed 10th. Greyson Sanchez-Hall placed 11th in Poetry Interpretation. Wyatt Wilson tied for 11th in Prose Interpretation and finished 3-3 in IPDA Debate.
Fernandez and Sanchez-Hall were also selected to participate in the Hispanic Serving Institution Showcase, which recognizes student competitors from institutions serving Hispanic populations.
“I am incredibly proud of how our students represented LCCC,” said Ashley Schulz, LCCC Speech and Debate coach. “This young team demonstrated such bravery, professionalism, and a strong commitment to growth. Competing against programs with decades of experience and still earning multiple placements is an exciting sign of what’s ahead for our program.”
The Fran Tanner Invitational is an early-season tournament drawing competitors from community colleges and universities throughout the western United States. LCCC’s team will continue competing at tournaments throughout the academic year.