EKU Mock Trial is Headed to Nationals!

Eastern Kentucky University’s Mock Trial Program is going back to Nationals! EKU punched its ticket to the American Mock Trial Association's (AMTA) Opening Round Championships (ORC) with a 5-3 record at the AMTA regional tournament hosted by the University of Dayton on February 3-4, 2024.

EKU took both ballots against the University of Michigan and Duquesne University in rounds one and two on Saturday before losing to the eventual first-place team, the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, in round three on Sunday morning. With a 4-2 record going into round four, EKU needed at least a split against Northwestern University and got it, finishing with a 5-3 record and securing one of the coveted six bids out of the 24-team regional tournament.

EKU missed out narrowly on a nationals bid last year, and this year was expected to be a rebuilding year, with only four students returning to the program with any college mock-trial experience.  But the team had other ideas. The group's performance steadily improved throughout the year as the new members gained experience under the leadership of co-captains Carley Frost, a senior political science and criminal justice double major from London, and Parker White, a junior criminal justice and forensic psychology double major from Rineyville.

Other members of EKU's qualifying team include Gavin Cantrell, a freshman political science major from Pikeville; Brianna Garcia-Perez, a freshman political science major from Nicholasville; Kira Kent, a freshman pre-nursing student from Edgewood; and Brayden Shouse, a junior political science major from Jackson. All six members of the qualifying team are members of the EKU Honors Program.

Gavin Cantrell and Hope Kerns, a broadcasting and electronic media major and EKU Honors Program student from Flemingsburg, on EKU's second team at the tournament, earned All-Region Witness Awards for their performances.

EKU's qualifying team also received the Spirit of AMTA Award recognizing the team that most exemplifies the ideals of civility, justice, and fair play. EKU's second team was the runner-up for that award, which was voted upon by the participating teams in the tournament.

The EKU Mock Trial Program develops participating students' public speaking and critical thinking skills through participation in trial competitions using case materials developed by the American Mock Trial Association (AMTA). EKU's program is sponsored by the EKU College of Letters, Arts, & Social Sciences (CLASS), with additional support provided by alumni donations. Coaches include EKU Department of Government faculty members Thomas Parker and Lynnette Noblitt and EKU alumna Alexandra Sipes.

Contact Information

Thomas Parker
thomas.parker@eku.edu
859-622-7698

Published on February 05, 2024