USF Mock Trial team qualifies for nationals
The University of St. Francis Mock Trial team placed sixth at the American Mock Trial Association (AMTA) Regional Tournament, Feb. 18-19 at the Will County Courthouse in Joliet. The team automatically qualified for the National Tournament, March 10-12th in St. Petersburg, Fla.
The USF team finished with a record of five wins, two losses, and one tie, defeating Indiana Institute of Technology and DePaul University twice, and scoring one win, two losses, and one tie against two different University of Chicago teams.
The Joliet Regional, with 18 teams competing, is one of the most competitive in the nation, according to USF Mock Trial team coach Marty Shanahan, a USF alumnus and attorney with Spesia, Ayers, and Ardaugh in Joliet.
This year's case involved the kidnapping of a 13 year-old child. Students portray the role of both attorneys and witnesses during the trial. A combination of judges and attorneys served as a panel of judges at the four-round tournament.
Team co-captain Lauren Emanuelson, of Ottawa, won an all-regional award as an attorney with a perfect score. Almost 150 students competed, and only three received perfect scores.
Vince Voss, of Elmhurst, also won an all-regional award for his portrayal of an eyewitness. Voss joined the team less than one week before the tournament.
The USF team also includes Nick Heberer of Washington, Ill., Josh Mastel of Morris, co-captain Richard Maggio of Chicago, Amanda Polowniak of Chicago and John Rickmon of Plainfield.
Attorney Mark Lichtenwalter, from the law firm of Spesia, Ayers, and Ardaugh, also coaches the USF team.
The University of St. Francis, in Joliet, offers more than 60 areas of undergraduate programs in arts and sciences, business, education, social work, nursing and allied health. Thirteen graduate programs are offered along with three degree completion programs.