NDSU's Lincoln Speech and Debate team earned the title of state champions at the combined North Dakota/South Dakota State Championship at Northern State University in Aberdeen, South Dakota, Feb. 13-14. The team placed fourth overall in the two-state competition. 

In addition, Ruben Flores, a sophomore majoring in music from East Grand Forks, Minnesota, earned a second place in individual sweepstakes for being in the finals of four categories. He placed first in prose and poetry, took second place in program of oral interpretation and placed fifth in impromptu speaking.

Mariah Spillers-Taylor, a second-year theater major from Anoka, Minnesota, earned first place in program of oral interpretation and second place in poetry. She also placed fifth in dramatic interpretation.

Jon Bell-Clement, a junior majoring in zoology and art from Fargo, placed second in radio broadcasting, and Gabriel Eronomosele, a first-year biochemistry major from Nigeria, placed third in extemporaneous speaking.

The parliamentary debate team of Daniel Huus and Eric Thibert tied for sixth place out of 16 teams. Huus is a sophomore from Mandan, North Dakota, and Thibert is a sophomore from West Fargo.

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