U of A Undergraduate Mock Trial Competes at the National Championship Tournament

Justin Fox Burks, Courtesy of Rhodes College

Arkansas A captains Bryton Miller and Julianna Kantner speak at the opening ceremonies of the tournament.

This past weekend, the U of A Undergraduate Mock Trial team traveled to Memphis, Tennessee, to compete in the National Championship tournament hosted by Rhodes College. This tournament consisted of the highest level of competition available, with the top 48 teams from around the country all competing for the top spots. Teams had to secure bids from previous tournaments, both Regionals and the Opening Round Championships, to receive an invitation to the national tournament. 

The Arkansas nationals team was captained by Julianna Kantner and Bryton Miller, coached by Jose Ruiz, and members included Maddie Gwinner, Madalyn Acton, Trinity Tipton, Jared Presley, Cameron Willis, Harrison Merrick and Vasoula Drosopoulos.

The U of A was the only team in the field making their nationals debut, never advancing to the National Championship Tournament before. The U of A held their own against some of the toughest opponents, compiling a 3-9 record. Out of the four teams the U of A faced, three were ranked in the top 16 at the beginning of the season. Specifically, the U of A faced UCLA A in the second round, the team that won the entire tournament. After this performance, we expect the U of A to be ranked in the top 45 teams out of roughly 700 total teams in the American Mock Trial Association. This displays a significant jump from the U of A's current ranking of 87, a result of the hard work put in by the team. 

The National Championship Tournament was the final showing of what was a historic year for U of A Mock Trial. Over the course of the year, the program won first at three tournaments and placed second at four tournaments, including invitationals and regional competitions. Members accumulated 44 individual awards this year alone, a new record for the program. Nine of these awards were won at Regionals, and two were won at the Opening Round Championships. Both Arkansas A and Arkansas B improved upon their previous record in the Opening Round Championship, and the U of A sent a team to the National Championship Tournament for the first time ever.

Thank you to all of our captains, coaches, members and any organizations and departments that have supported us this year! We couldn't have done it without you, and we hope to be back better and stronger next year. Wooo Pig Sue Me!

The U of A Mock Trial team is a trial simulation-based RSO that competes in tournaments across the nation. Tryouts are held at the beginning of the fall semester. If you wish to try out in the fall, we recommend following our instagram account @mockhogs to keep up with updates.