Cedarville Claims Speech and Debate Title

It was a sweet victory for Cedarville University's forensics team at the 2025 Ohio Forensics Association State Championship, held Feb. 14-15 at the University of Akron. In claiming the state championship, Cedarville's team took the top spot in the categories of both speech and debate.

Cedarville's success was highlighted by five first-place finishes. Noah Hollenbach, a political science junior from Moseley, Virginia, claimed the debate competition while also earning the top debate speaker award. Laura Ball, a freshman majoring in special education from Harker Heights, Texas, won the after-dinner speaking category and was the runner-up in debate speaking and rhetorical criticism. Freshman economics major Zane Enos from Colorado Springs, Colorado, won in impromptu speaking, while Eliana Boerner, a freshman communication major from Cincinnati, Ohio, claimed the informative speaking championship. Boerner also secured a runner-up finish in persuasive speaking and, with that performance, qualified for the Interstate Oratorical Association national championship, held April 26-27 at Tennessee State University.