The Eastern Kentucky University Mock Trial team earned its first tournament win of the year, claiming the top prize at the 15th annual Illinois State University Mock Trial Invitational, held in Bloomington, Illinois, Nov. 4-6.
EKU's first-place team finished 6-1-1, winning both ballots against the University of Illinois-Chicago and Illinois State University, earning a win and a tie against Wheaton College, and splitting the final round against DePaul University. EKU's second team at the tournament earned an honorable mention, finishing sixth in the 32-team event with a 5-2-1 record.
The first-place team from EKU was led by captain Allie Maples, a political science major from Mount Sterling, Kentucky, who earned an Outstanding Attorney Award for her performance. Other members of the first-place squad were Melissa Mahan, an anthropology major from Bloomington, Illinois; Joseph Moore, a political science major from Bowling Green, Kentucky; Brianna Palmer, a criminal justice major from Richmond, Kentucky; Kaylyn Perkins, a journalism major from Lily, Kentucky; Alexa Turner, a paralegal science and history double major from Winchester, Kentucky; and Ryan Wiggins, a political science and psychology double major from Georgetown, Kentucky. Maples, Moore, Perkins and Turner are members of EKU Honors.
EKU's sixth-place team featured outstanding performances by co-captain Laura Jackson, a political science major from Artemus, Kentucky, who won an Outstanding Attorney Award; and Hayley Abbott, a political science major from Corbin, Kentucky, who earned an Outstanding Witness Award. The sixth-place team also included Alicia Gilbert, a political science major from Brooksville, Kentucky; Chiani Murray, a Spanish and criminal justice double major from Bronx, New York; Peyton Ratliff, Reagan Roberts, an undeclared major from Monticello, Kentucky; Angel Spurlock, a chemistry teaching major from Rockcastle, Kentucky; and Ashley Thompson, a political science major from Lawrenceburg, Kentucky. Gilbert, Roberts and Thompson are also members of EKU Honors.
EKU fielded the only team from a regional comprehensive university in the 48-team 2016 American Mock Trial Association National Tournament in April.
EKU Mock Trial's next weekend of competition will split the two teams, with one attending the Cornshucker Challenge hosted by the University of Iowa, and the other competing in the Great Lakes Mock Trial Invitational hosted by Eastern Michigan University. The program's final competition of the semester will be the 21st annual Yale Invitational in New Haven, Connecticut.
The program is sponsored by the EKU College of Letters, Arts and Social Sciences. EKU faculty and staff working with the program include Tom Parker, Lynnette Noblitt, Kristeena Johnson, Brandon Williams, and Dean Sara Zeigler.
For more information about the EKU Mock Trial Program, visit mocktrial.eku.edu.