Mind the Gap Asynchronous Tournament

 

The Cornell University Speech Team invites you to our midseason asynchronous tournament on January 26 - 29, 2026. We will offer all AFA speech events. The tournament will be hosted via Speechwire using the following schedule:

 

 

 

Friday, January 23

 

LP Prompt Release @ 12PM

 

 

 

Monday, January 26

 

Entries and videos due to Speechwire by 9PM EST

 

 

 

Wednesday, January 28

 

Prelim ballots due by 9PM EST

 

 

 

Thursday, January 29

 

Finals ballots due by 9PM EST

 

 

 

Results posted on Speechwire ASAP!

 

 

 

Fees:

 

 

 

$10 per slot

 

$20 per uncovered slot (1 judge cover 6 slots*)

 

 

 

*EACH SCHOOL MUST PROVIDE AT LEAST ONE JUDGE

 

 

 

Fee Payment Options:

 

1) A payment link will be sent to all schools after you receive your Speechwire invoice.

 

 

 

2) Payments can be sent to Venmo @MacLain-Naumann (preferred)

(Make checks payable to: MacLain Naumann - Mail a check to: MacLain Naumann, 190 Pleasant Grove Rd, Ithaca, NY 14850 )

 

 

Entry Rules:

 

 

 

GENERAL:   All programs and speeches must not have been used by a student in any competition (high school or college) prior to September 1, 2025.  Competitors must be undergraduates working on their first degree.  We will be following the rules and ethical standards of the AFA-NST.

 

 

 

ENTRIES:  Each student may enter as many events as they want.  Events that have 7 or fewer entries will be judged "head-to-head" by three judges.  Events with 8 or more entries will be judged by two judges in "preliminary" rounds and then broken to a "head-to-head" final with at least one judge (3 if the pool allows).  From prelims into the final, ties will be broken by speaker points.  In "head-to-head" rounds, ties will be broken by speaker points and then by judges' preference.

 

 

LP Events only need to provide one video for all rounds. Impromptu videos should include prep time (and may include 15 seconds of reading time).  Extemp should NOT include prep time.

 

 

MODALITY:  This is an asynchronous tournament.  Please make sure your videos are set to be "unlisted" so they can be accessed by our judges.

 

 

 

MacLain Naumann, Director of Speech

(vr24)