UL Speech and Debate Team

06/19/2026

Team Louisiana shared a meet up with David Begnaud, CBS Anchor as well as LHSSL and UL Alumni. In a real and honest conversation, students and coaches heard about advocacy, the willingness to change your mind and were able to ask David questions about his life, career and forensics days. David challenged students to continue to find ways to show up in the speech community and give back.

06/18/2026

Tune in at 5:00pm ET to see DTSMA student Gavin Crayton, coached by Assistant Alumni Coach Jacob Leger and Grad Assistant Emily Guidry compete in POI Finals!

https://live.speechanddebate.org/

Watch livestream coverage of finals and awards from the 2026 National Tournament starting Thursday, June 18!

06/16/2026

It may be summer but Dr. Hammons is hanging out at the National Speech & Debate Association Nats 26 in Richmond, VA. Traveling with Team Louisiana is a great reminder of the emerging talent in our high schools. Follow along this week for check-ins from Dr. Hammons, Assistant Alumni Coach Jacob Leger and Grad Student Emily Guidry.

06/01/2026

Thank you to Alumni Jamie Parker for hosting our end of the year social. That's a wrap on 125, we'll be back next month as we begin our summer workshop series for our 126th season.

05/16/2026

She has done it! Congrats to 2026 Graduate Ashlee Trahan!

05/15/2026

It's time to celebrate! Get ready with Dr. Hammons for the College of Liberal Arts Graduation Ceremony.

05/14/2026

Alumni Coach Jacob Leger, not only puts in the time for our students but he does it while also working with a team of extrordinary students at David Thibodeaux STEM Magnet Academy.

Having even one NSDA National Champion is something many coaches never achieve, and DTSMA is going for a THREEPEAT!

Help us support these students on their journey to Richmond, VA this summer by spreading the word and showing up to shop!

05/13/2026

The University of Louisiana at Lafayette College of Liberal Arts celebrated students and faculty for their 2025-26 achievements at a ceremony today.

UL Speech and Debate reached a milestone anniversary this year, celebrating our 125th season. Our undergraduates, graduate assistants and coaches put in over 1000 hours this year culminating in 67 placings, 8 Individual Overall awards, 7 team sweepstakes titles and a Top 24 at the American Forensics Association National Speech Tournament. We owe a debt of gratitude to the Department of Communication, The College of Liberal Arts and the alumni who rallied behind us to ensure that our funds would carry us around the U.S. this season. As we look ahead, we are reminded that anything is possible when your community is just as invested as you are.

Pictured: Graduate Assistant, Ethan Savino, Graduating Senior, Ashlee Trahan and Director of Forensics, Dr. Masey Hammons

05/11/2026

One of America’s sunnier national convictions is that when people disagree it is useful, even virtuous, for competing sides to make their cases to the public. “The combat of ideas feels intrinsic to the national spirit,” Jay Caspian Kang writes. Debate has a duality; it is simultaneously conciliatory and domineering. We believe we can resolve our differences because we believe that a good new idea can trounce a bad old one.

Eli Durst photographed high school students from Arkansas, California, Florida, and Pennsylvania. These kids travelled to district and national tournaments to debate legislation about Venezuelan oil and the morality of nuclear weapons in space. If you ask them what they love about debate, they will speak about the value of “multiple perspectives,” but other interests will also surface. Mallory Cloud, from Russellville, Arkansas, wants to be a state representative. Carter Nelson, of Palm Beach County said, “I’ve always loved competition in general.”

05/05/2026

See you at DeanO's!