THE MOCK TRIAL TEAM presents their fifth place win at the Loras College invitational in Dubuque last weekend. The team will be heading to sectionals on Feb. 19. photo courtesy of KYAIR BUTTS
Two Drake Mock Trial teams placed in the top 10 at their invitational last weekend at Loras College in Dubuque, which represented 68 teams from 34 different schools across the country.
The Drake A-team placed seventh in the gold division. The team consists of Nicholas Janning, a senior English and politics major; Daniel Van Sant, a senior international relations and politics major; Sarah Francis, a sophomore pre-pharmacy major; Greg Boal, a junior journalism major; Chris Bartak, a junior actuarial science; and economics major and Dakota Johansen, a sophomore politics and psychology major.
“This is one of the best tournaments we were able to attend during the invitational season,” said Valerie Whiting, a junior marketing major and the captain and coach of the B-team. “There were a lot of high-caliber teams there.”
The Drake B-team placed fifth in the purple division, with team members Whiting, Anna De Vries, a sophomore politics major; John Magruder, a junior economics major; Kyair Butts, a junior psychology and journalism major; Evan Clark, a junior management major; and Amanda Thorson, a sophomore English major.
In addition, five members received individual awards for their portrayal of outstanding witnesses and attorneys, according to the judges’ approval of their performance. Janning, Van Sant and Clark received witness awards, Boal received an attorney award and Butts won an all-American attorney award.
“Drake has always had a great reputation in the mock trial world. This success gives us the confidence to continue to do well,” Whiting said. “The better we do, the better tournaments we get invited to during the season.”
The tournament consists of four rounds, each round having two teams from separate schools that try the case in front of two judges who act both as the judge and the jury. Attorneys are scored on their presentation and argumentation skills, and witnesses are scored on how well they can stay in character, Whiting said.
“The future of Drake Mock Trial is bright,” said Butts, the president of mock trial. “We have a core of individuals that work hard and are dedicated to the program and its continued success. I believe that the success we’ve had has given our members the confidence that they can compete against anyone, anytime, at any tournament and hold his or her own.”
Earlier this year the A-team placed sixth at the Harvard Invitational Tournament, and the B-team placed fourth at the Macalester College Invitational Tournament.
Both teams will be competing at regionals in Topeka, Kan. on Feb. 19. If the teams place in the top eight, they will move on to the opening round championship series tournament, which is the tournament that allows you to qualify for nationals, Butts said.
