Last weekend Elon Mock trial extended an already successful year of competition by securing a spot at the March 20-22 American Mock Trial Association’s Opening Round Championship Series Tournament hosted by Furman University in Greenville, S.C. for the fifth consecutive year.
Elon Mock Trial sent two teams to the AMTA Regional Tournament in Richmond, Virginia this past weekend, with one team placing in the top eight and winning a bid to the Opening Round Championship Series Tournament. Competing members included Seniors Becca Mutty, Ryan Lasnick, Kelsey Shulman, and Angela Casa; Juniors John Gavin, David Comerford, Lindsey Tipps, and Chris Holden; Sophomores Alaina Schukraft and Gabriel Corbett; and first-years Victoria Phillips, Sarah Vates, Justin Liberatore, Christian Reese, and Will Wetter. In addition to the team award, Sophomore Gabriel Corbett took home an Outstanding Witness Award, earning 17 out of a possible 20 ranks.
This weekend’s awards are just the latest in a string of successes for the Mock Trial program this academic year. The team brought home a 5 place finish at the Happy Valley Invitational hosted by Pennsylvania State University, as well as a 3 place finish at the Scarlet and Gray Invitational hosted by Ohio State University, both in October. Additionally, several team members brought home individual awards throughout the season, with Ryan Lasnick winning two Outstanding Attorney Awards, Jenny McRobert winning two Outstanding Witness Awards, and Justin Liberatore, Sarah Vates, and Kelsey Shulman each winning an Outstanding Witness Award.
Each February, more than 600 mock trials teams compete in 24 regional tournaments around the country, with seven teams moving on from each regional to one of eight opening round championships in March. From each opening round championship, six teams will move on to compete in the AMTA National Championship Tournament. From the more than 600 registered AMTA teams, only 48 reach the National Championship Tournament.
The team attending the March 20-22 tournament in Greenville is comprised of Elon students from a variety of undergraduate majors and class standings: Seniors Becca Mutty, Ryan Lasnick, and Kelsey Shulman; Juniors John Gavin, Lindsey Tipps, David Comerford, and Chris Holden; and Sophomore Alaina Schukraft.
Kristen DelForge ’11, L’14, and Kevin Harrison, a former Miami of Ohio mock trial member and graduate of the Wake Forest University School of Law, coach the Elon Mock Trial Team.