79th Annual LE Norton Memorial

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General information

This is a College tournament in Illinois.

View manager contact information

October 2026

Dear Colleagues,

Bradley University is delighted to invite you to the 79th Annual L.E. Norton Memorial Tournament, to be held on our campus November 7-8, 2026.

This year, inspired by The Odyssey, we celebrate the journeys that have shaped our community and the traditions that continue to bring us back together.

Assistant Coaches David Daye and Rodrigo Trujillo, Team President and Student Tournament Director Paul Swartz, Vice President Tiffany Ruvalcaba Lupercio, and the rest of our staff and team are charting the course for another epic Norton. 

We will offer open divisions for all 11 AFA events, novice divisions in qualifying events, and continue to recognize limited-entry and individual sweepstakes. Congratulations once again to last year’s open team sweepstakes champions, Western Kentucky University, and to Jade Ismail, also from WKU, on winning individual sweepstakes. We also extend our admiration to Eric Long, last year’s recipient of the L.E. Norton Award, which honors those who embody Dr. Norton’s enduring legacy of leadership, devotion, and passion for college forensics. We look forward to recognizing another individual this year, whose work continues to inspire and uplift our community. 

This year, we will introduce Conferral Judging to the limited-preparation semifinal and final rounds. Judges will still evaluate performances independently, but before submitting their individual ballots, they will have the opportunity to confer in a guided discussion led by the chair. Our goal is to explore whether this collaborative process can improve the quality and consistency of adjudication and feedback. We also hope it gives judges and coaches an opportunity to learn from one another. We’ll share a short primer and more detailed guidance on how the model works closer to the tournament.

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out. We look forward to welcoming you to Peoria to celebrate our shared craft and Dr. Norton’s vision. 

Sincerely,

Andrew Eilola, PhD

Director of Forensics 

(218) 290-5574

aeilola@bradley.edu

L.E. Norton Memorial

Rules and Guidelines

1. The L.E. Norton Memorial will follow the ethical standards, rules, and event descriptions of the American Forensics Association National Speech Tournament. They can be accessed on AFA’s website. All judges and competitors are expected to be knowledgeable of these standards prior to the tournament. 

2. Impromptu prompts will include quotations, song lyrics, and proverbs; the final round will feature ethical dilemmas. 

3. In light of COVID-19 and the traditional flu season, we strongly encourage all coaches, judges and students attending the tournament to be vaccinated and wear masks if they are exhibiting any symptoms of illness.
    

Registration

1. Novice divisions will be offered in events with at least 30 varsity entries. Novice categories are reserved for students competing in their first year of intercollegiate forensics competition, or for any two year or community college student. 

2. Students may double-enter in each pattern:
   
    

Flight A

Informative Speaking

Prose Interpretation

Impromptu Speaking

Flight B

Duo Interpretation

Persuasive Speaking

Program Oral Interpretation

Extemporaneous Speaking

Flight C

Dramatic Interpretation

Poetry Interpretation

Communication Analysis

After Dinner Speaking

3. Semifinals will be held for events with at least 50 entries and finals will be offered in all Varsity and Novice events. 

4. Entries must be submitted via Speechwire.com. Entries must be received by 6:00 p.m. CST Monday, November 2nd, 2026. Drop and judge fees will be assessed at 12:00 p.m. CST Wednesday, November 4th, 2026.

*Please contact us immediately if there are extenuating circumstances or life events that occur with students. We’ll accommodate as best we can.

Awards

1. The top six competitors in open and top three in novice will receive the classic pottery mug trophies, handmade by Fire Maple Pottery in Lacon, IL. 

2. Team sweepstakes awards will be given to the top five in both open and limited-entry divisions. 

3. Individual Sweepstakes will be awarded to the top five speakers of the tournament. Students with at least 4 events will be eligible for individual sweepstakes. Two duos will count as two events.

4. Team sweepstakes will be calculated according to the following point scale: 

12 points: 1st place – open 6 points: 1st place – novice

10 points: 2nd place – open 5 points: 2nd place – novice 

8 points: 3rd place – open 4 points: 3rd place – novice 

6 points: 4th place – open 3 points: 4th place – novice 

4 points: 5th place – open 2 points: 5th place – novice 

3 points: 6th/7th place – open 1 point: 6th/7th place – novice 

2 points: non-advancing semifinalists (open only)

Fees

1. Each entry for the tournament will cost $15. Additionally, there will be a $10.00 per student fee because of increased hosting costs on campus. We understand that tournament costs can be a barrier to participation and are happy to consider fee waivers. Please contact aeilola@bradley.edu with any questions.

2. For each judge provided, six entries will be covered. Judges may be hired at an additional $10 per slot not covered by your program. Hired judges will be paid $125 for full-day availability or $25 per round. Note: Judges who are Bradley alumni will each cover 10 entries.

3. Penalties for late drop fees will be: 

- Drops after 12:00pm CST, Wednesday, November 4th, 2026 will result in a $15 drop fee in addition to the initial entry fee. Judge drops or new uncovered slots will be $15 as well.

- After 12:00pm CST Thursday, November 5th, 2026 judge drops will result in a $75 penalty and student drop fees will be $25 per slot.

4. Checks should be made payable to Bradley University Speech Team.

5. Teams are also welcome to pay online. Let us know and we’re happy to send you an invoice and link to pay with a credit card.

Mailing Address: 

Andrew Eilola

Communication Dept. – GCC 313

1501 W. Bradley Ave.

Peoria, IL 61625

Tournament Notes

Content Warnings

We recommend the use of content and/or trigger warnings when possible for competitors who may be performing sensitive material. This can be written on the board and/or stated prior to the performance. 

Quiet Room

There will be a quiet room available for students, coaches and judges who experience sensory overload or need a space to decompress.

Open Door Policy

We encourage competitors to stay and support all performances if they are not double-entered. However, we will have an open-door policy where students and audience members are free to leave before, during, and between performances without negative repercussions. Additionally, judges should respect different forms of listening and engagement, including students who look away, lower their heads, or otherwise disengage from a performance when uncomfortable. 

Judge Concerns

Please contact the tournament director if you have concerns about being judged by someone at the tournament. Blocks can be put in place if you have a problematic history with someone or are simply uncomfortable.

Community and Travel Notes

We’re proud to welcome you to Peoria, a city that has hosted the Norton for decades. As you plan your travel, please be mindful of the current political climate surrounding immigration and identification laws. Illinois remains a welcoming state, and Bradley University is committed to ensuring a safe and inclusive environment for all competitors.

Coaches are encouraged to review travel guidance for undocumented students or international competitors prior to departure. Helpful resources include:

Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights (icirr.org)

National Immigration Legal Services Directory

Friday, November 6, 2026

7:00-8:00p.m. Early Registration (Michael Student Center Atrium)

Saturday, November 7, 2026

8:00 a.m. Late Registration (Bradley Hall Lobby)

8:45 a.m.       Extemp Draw

9:00 a.m.        Round 1 Flight B (EXT, DUO, PER, POI)

10:15 a.m. Extemp Draw

10:30 a.m.     Round 2 Flight B 

12:00 p.m.     Lunch Break

12:45 p.m.      Extemp Draw

1:00 p.m.        Round 3 Flight B

2:15 p.m.        Round 1 Flight A (PRO, INFO, IMP)

3:30 p.m.       Round 2 Flight A

4:45 p.m.        Round 3 Flight A

6:00 p.m.        Round 1 Flight C (ADS, CA, DI, POE)

Sunday, November 8, 2026

7:00 a.m. Buildings open for Warm Ups

8:00 a.m. Round 2 Flight C

9:15 a.m. Round 3 Flight C

10:45 a.m. Extemp Draw

11:00 a.m. Outrounds #1

12:00 p.m. Lunch Break 

1:00 p.m. Outrounds #2

2:30 p.m. Potential Extemp Draw

2:45 p.m. Outrounds #3

4:15 p.m. Outrounds #4

ASAP Awards Ceremony (Renaissance Coliseum)

8:00 p.m. Social Gathering

Manager contact information

Andrew Eilola
Email address: aeilola@bradley.edu
Phone number: 218-290-5574

Mailing address

1501 W. Bradley Ave.
Department of Communication
Peoria, IL 61625