The Fredonia Blue Devils' Advocates made history by qualifying for the National Championship Rounds of the American Mock Trial Association. Of more than 650 teams competing in regional competitions this spring, less than one-third earned a bid to the Opening Round Championship Series (ORCS).
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| Combined teams: Brenna Sanford, Connor Hoffman, Doug Imperi, Holden Bernstein, Zach Beaudoin, Antonio Regulier, Dylan Forman, Jorge Antonetti, Kayla Esterine-Reid, Krysta Leo, Eduvijez Sanchez, Team Coach David Kaplin, Courtney Mahoney, Miquon Jackson, Sarah Kalish and Patrick Brierley. |
Also for the first time in history, Fredonia sent two full teams to the recent regional tournament, each making an impressive showing. One of Fredonia’s teams beat Cornell and Syracuse universities in head-to head trials, handing Syracuse its only loss in the tournament. Fredonia also beat out teams from Hamilton College, Colgate University and SUNY Geneseo for a bid to ORCS.
The ORCS competition was held at Penn State University on March 7 and 8. From there, only six teams from each Opening Round Championship moved on to the Final Round Championships in April.
In the team's inaugural trip to the Opening Round, the Blue Devils' Advocates finished 18th out of 24 teams. The six teams from the opening round to qualify for the Final Round Tournament are Harvard, Yale, Howard, Hamilton, Cornell, and Tufts universities. Fredonia finished ahead of teams from the University of Rochester, Syracuse University, Colby College, University of Delaware, Washington and Jefferson College and Allegheny College.
Coach David Kaplin of the Department of English noted, "Led by multiple Best Attorney award winner Courtney Mahoney (senior philosophy and psychology double major), the team accomplished four important things by participating this well in our first foray into Nationals. First, we have captured the attention of judges, other teams, and the American Mock Trial Association. Now, they know who we are and that we can contend with the top mock trial teams across the nation. Second, every member of our team was ranked by at least one judge as among the best witnesses and attorneys at the tournament. Not many teams can claim such a broad base of talent. Third, of 240 students playing witness roles, Jorge Antonetti, a senior Communication-Public Relations major, captured one of only 10 Best Witness awards earned at the tournament, this one for his convincing portrayal of Ash DeRosa, an expert witness in gun safety and storage. And fourth, our team now has the confidence and experience to return to nationals and climb the ladder to the Final Round Tournament. The team is also taking away constructive feedback and encouragement from the sitting judges, practicing attorneys, and law professors who judged these Opening Round trials. As their coach, I am extraordinarily proud of our team's growth, dedication, skill level, and attitude of justice and fair play, and I can't wait to see where next season takes them."
Fredonia First Team members include Courtney Mahoney, team captain and lead attorney, who also won the Best Attorney award at regionals; Dylan Forman, Douglas Imperi, Holden Bernstein, Jorge Antonetti, Sarah Kalish, Connor Hoffman and Brenna Sanford.
The Second Team, whose participation and analysis laid the foundation for their own solid record as well as that of the advancing team, included Kayla Esterine-Reid, team captain; Antonio Regulier, Zach Beaudoin, Patrick Brierley, Miquon Jackson, Duvi Sanchez and Krysta Leo.
