College speaker wins honors for Carroll

Former Glacier High School debater Ian Hollander is showing promise at the collegiate level.

A freshman on the Carroll College Talking Saints forensics team, Hollander earned the Orv Iverson Award as the best new speaker in the Northwest Forensics Conference (colleges and universities in Washington, Oregon, Alaska, Idaho, Montana and parts of northern California and Utah).

He was also recognized as “rookie of the year” and “best novice” at the Scheller Invitational at Pacific University in Forest Grove, Ore., in January.

In 2012 as a high school junior, Hollander and teammate Izaak Castren placed in the top 10 at nationals in Public Forum Debate.

Hollander was the top award winner on the Carroll College team at the invitational with four first-place finishes and a total of six awards.

Hollander and teammate Trevor Waldorf won Junior World Debate.

“Ian is a gifted competitor,” head coach Brent Northup said. “He’s getting better each time he competes. There’s really no ceiling on what he might achieve in the years ahead.”

The Carroll College forensics team placed second to Boise State University at the tournament. The team earned more than 50 awards, of which 12 were first place, and dominated World Debate, Prose Interpretation and Impromptu Speaking.

The Talking Saints now turn their sights on the national championships in April. Last year, Carroll College reached the championship round in the U.S. World Debate championships, losing to Yale in the final round.

Carroll College is a private Catholic liberal arts college in Helena.