Aila Boyd
aboyd@mainstreetnewspapers.com
Mark Ingerson, the longtime and highly decorated speech and debate coach at Salem High School, is closing out 2025 with one of the highest honors in Virginia high school activities.
Ingerson has been selected for induction into the Virginia High School League Hall of Fame as part of the Class of 2026, the VHSL announced. He is one of 11 inductees who will be enshrined during the 37th annual Hall of Fame ceremony on Sunday, April 19, 2026, at the Omni Charlottesville Hotel.
“Obviously this is a great honor and a recognition I certainly never thought about when I started coaching. I just wanted to create a program that was a place of belonging similar to what I found when I did theater in high school,” Ingerson said. “It was certainly not about getting into the VHSL Hall of Fame, which I’m sure at that point I didn’t even know existed. Mrs. Northway was my high school theater director and history teacher and she was the inspiration for coaching Speech and Debate. She created a program in which I could gain confidence and excel and I am forever coached this long without that support! All of those students and parents have a part of this award,” Ingerson said.
Beyond team and individual success, Ingerson has received national recognition for his impact on the activity. He has twice been named the National Federation of State High School Associations’ Outstanding Speech and Debate Educator of the Year, earning the honor in 2012 and again in 2025.
The Virginia High School Hall of Fame, presented by the VHSL and VAcorp, recognizes outstanding achievements in high school athletics and activities across the commonwealth. With the Class of 2026, the Hall’s membership will grow to 364 individuals.
The Class of 2026 includes five former student-athletes, four coaches, and two contributors. Alongside Ingerson in the coaching category are Garwin L. DeBerry Sr. of Charlottesville, A. Edward Steele of Broad Run, and Jan Thompson of Central (Wise). The class also includes longtime sports journalist Arthur Utley and VHSL baseball rules interpreter Bob Leader.
Tickets for the enshrinement dinner are $35 and are available through the VHSL.
Ingerson’s induction caps a remarkable year for Salem High School’s speech and debate programs and solidifies his legacy as one of the most successful and influential coaches in VHSL activities history.
“I always hoped my students feel the same way about Salem Speech and Debate.”
In 23 years leading Salem’s Forensics team — now known as Speech — and the school’s Debate team, Ingerson has built one of the most dominant programs in VHSL history. His teams have won a combined 20 VHSL state championships, including 18 Speech titles and two Debate championships.
Salem’s Speech program has captured a state-record 19 consecutive VHSL championships, a run that spans from 2006 to 2025, with the lone exception of 2012, when the team still won the title under the guidance of two former student captains. The Spartans also have won 23 consecutive regional championships and 22 straight super regional titles in Speech.
Since taking over the Debate program in 2023, Ingerson has guided Salem to back-to-back state championships in 2024 and 2025, along with three consecutive regional and super regional titles.
Individually, Ingerson’s students have amassed 103 Speech state championships and 59 runner-up finishes. In Debate, Salem competitors have earned five individual state titles and three runner-up honors.
“Of course, without outstanding students who were willing to take feedback and be challenged to be their best, this recognition doesn’t happen. I also appreciate all the parents who have judged and supported the program because I promise you I would not have coached this long without that support! All of those students and parents have a part of this award,” Ingerson said.
