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The University of Arizona won the sixth annual Regents' Cup competition, the ��ݮ��Ƶ’ showcase of free speech and civil discourse among the state’s three public universities.

The Wildcats’ victory was highlighted by Yvonne Davis winning the storytelling competition, with teammate Ananya Singhvi finishing second. U of A’s Conner Hunting and Desiree Riley placed second in Oxford debate to round out the Wildcats’ strong finish.

Courtney Hoffman and Karli VanderMeersch of Northern Arizona University won the Oxford debate competition, showing tremendous acumen in knowledge, sharp reasoning and strategic thinking. NAU's Hayder Alainizi contributed to the Lumberjacks' standout effort on home turf with a third-place finish in storytelling, helping secure the team's best finish in the six-year history of the Regents' Cup.

Arizona State University's Oxford debate teams of Jack Hinrichs and Alina Bozhko, and Abhinav Saxena and Aden Smith, finished in a tie for third place.

The board awards generous one-time scholarships to the top three winners in each category — $15,000 for first-place, $12,000 for second and $5,000 for third. All other student competitors receive a $500 one-time scholarship, along with internship or course credit for their work.

“The Regents’ Cup competition is a showcase of our system’s remarkable students. We had so many people here who got to see this beautiful NAU campus and see the quality of students at our universities,” said Regent Doug Goodyear, the Cup’s regent advisor. “It reinforces the faith in our universities and the job that the faculty and administration are doing educating the citizens of tomorrow. It was a great event for everybody.”

Held on NAU’s campus in Flagstaff, Ariz., the tournament featured multiple rounds of persuasive storytelling and Oxford-style debate, where students demonstrated their critical thinking and public speaking skills. This year’s prompts were inspired by the theme, “The Government and the People: The Social Contract.”

The storytelling competition featured powerful narratives exploring topics like overcoming injustice, mental health, family sacrifice and societal roles. Students also engaged in robust debates on pressing topics such as the government’s role in education, internet access for minors and the U.S. Constitution's framework for addressing modern challenges.

In the , students dedicated themselves to honing their persuasive abilities, ultimately presenting their skills before an audience that included elected and appointed officials, business and community leaders, and their university peers.

“I wish that this was replicated in more states because it shows that we can come together for civil conversations, even competing universities. I’ve never seen anything like this,” said judge Michael McCarter, vice president and group opinion editor at Gannett and director of standards, ethics and belonging for the USA TODAY Network. “I think this puts [Arizona universities and the ��ݮ��Ƶ] above many because of how they are working to make sure civics and civil discourse is a part of their learning. I wish more universities would do that. 

"I leave changed.”

The Regents' Cup is a signature initiative of the ��ݮ��Ƶ, using collegial competition to promote free speech and civil discourse. Judged by a panel of 50 esteemed professionals, the event is designed to foster critical thinking, creativity and a deeper respect for problem solving through civil discourse.

Arizona's public universities are recognized by the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE) as leaders in free speech, each earning FIRE’s highest rating in the 2025 College Free Speech Rankings. The Regents' Cup competition is a testament to the universities' dedication to fostering an environment where diverse perspectives can flourish.

Similar to the Territorial Cup rivalry, the winning team will proudly display the Regents' Cup trophy on its campus until next year's competition. The 2025 Regents’ Cup winners are:

• Team winner:
  • U of A
• Oxford debate:
  • First: Courtney Hoffman and Karli VanderMeersch of NAU
  • Second: Conner Hunting and Desiree Riley of U of A
  • Third (tie): Alina Bozhko and Jack Hinrichs of ASU; Abhinav Saxena and Aden Smith of ASU.
• Storytelling:
  • First: Yvonne Davis of U of A
  • Second: Ananya Singhvi of U of A
  • Third: Hayder Alainizi of NAU

Find all of the competitors here.