UW-Superior mock trial team advances

The University of Wisconsin-Superior Mock Trial team will compete with the best teams in the country at the American Mock Trial Association’s National Championship Tournament April 16-18 in Memphis.

The UWS team earned the championship tournament berth by capturing sixth place at the opening round of the national tournament last weekend in St. Paul. The top six teams from each of eight opening round tournaments around the country advance to Memphis, representing the top 40 teams from across the country.

This year’s mock trial was State of Midlands vs. Jackie Owens, a criminal murder trial. UWS compiled a record of five wins and three losses and won a head-to-head tie-breaker round by beating Northwestern University. Also advancing from the St. Paul tournament are national champion University of Virginia (two teams), St. Olaf College, Cornell College and Loyola University of Chicago.

UWS student Christine Eidmann of Herbstein, Germany, earned a Top Ten Outstanding Witness award, joining an elite group of students who portrayed witnesses in this year’s criminal trial.

Students nominated for outstanding attorney awards included Eric Albertson of Duluth, Taylor Tengwall of Sandstone, Minn., Caleb Nicholson of Mellen, Wis., and Lela Akiashvili of Georgia. Other students earning nominations for outstanding witness awards included Cassandra Foltz of Detroit Lakes, Minn., Alicia Kline of Reedsburg, Wis., and Kayannda Davis of Hudson, Wis..

Also members of this year’s UWS team are George Zuchowski of Foxboro, Wis., and Katlyn Shipley of Duluth. The Mock Trial team is supported by UWS student fees.

The team is coached by Dr. Maria Cuzzo, academic coach; Tracy Schramm, attorney coach and partner in the Reyelts, Bateman and Schramm Law Firm in Duluth; and Mary Russell, assistant coach.

Mock Trial is an academic forensic activity that teaches students how to analyze the law and facts of a case, and to argue and present cases in a trial court. Many of the participating students are majoring in UWS’ legal studies or criminal justice programs. UWS belongs to the American Mock Trial Association and is one of more than 350 universities in the country that take part in mock trial competition.

Tags: mock trial, community, uws, superior