At the Mock Trial National Championship in Greenville, SC this weekend, one of UChicago’s two teams received an Honorable Mention and a witness received an All-American designation, the highest possible award for the category.
Chicago’s Mock Trial team has a prestigious history of attending the National Championships, but this year was the first time the University has sent two teams.
The Mock Trial B team was particularly successful, placing 11th in the 48-team tournament and receiving an Honorable Mention for its winning record of nine wins, eight losses, and three ties. An Honorable Mention is given to teams with a winning record at the National Championship, which numbers only 24 teams out of roughly 600 competing teams across the nation. Yale and the University of Virginia were the winner and the runner-up, respectively.
In order to reach the National Championship, teams had to place in the top eight of the Illinois Regional Tournament in February and in the top six of the Opening Round Championships (ORCS) in March. The UChicago A team went 8–0–0 in regionals and 5–3–0 in ORCS, while the B team went 7–1–0 in regionals and 7–0–1 in ORCS.
Only one member of the B team is graduating this year. Members believe that returning to Nationals next year with nearly the same team line-up bodes well for their future success.
“Sending two teams really demonstrates the depth of our program, and shows that we have promising seasons ahead of us,” said first-year Jeremiah Milbauer, a member of the Mock Trial B team.
