The AU Mock Trial Team

AU’s WONK Invitational has quickly become a must on the mock trial circuit. Red, WONK and Blue, the second annual tournament was held on the AU campus Nov. 10 and 11.

AU attracted 22 teams from as far as California, Michigan, and Alabama. Forty-four trials were conducted over the course of the weekend.

Top Trial Team Awards went to University of Georgia (first), Columbia University (second), AU (third), University of Maryland (fourth) and University of Georgia (fifth). University of Richmond won the Spirit of AMTA award. This list names all attorney and witness awardees.

In addition to a third place team trophy, AU students earned individual honors. Eliana Peck earned a top attorney award, and Aly Thorn, Virginia Lyon, and Adam Treece each earned top witness awards.

AUMT was supported by SPA faculty and staff who volunteered their time to judge: Chana Barron, Jennifer Gumbrewicz, Karen Telis, Jon Gould, Debra Rosenbluth, Kathryn Kozey, Carl Barnes, and Carl Cook.

The WONK Invitational comes on the heels of AUMT’s most successful weekend to date. Two teams competing (in two different tournaments) brought first and fifth place finishes. AUMT won the Columbia University CUBAIT Invitational, and in the Penn State Happy Valley Invitational it took home the fifth place team trophy defeating 23 other teams. 

Mock trial is an opportunity for students to hone skills in presentation, critical thinking and collaboration through a simulated courtroom experience. American University Mock Trial competes against other college teams within the American Mock Trial Association (AMTA). Each academic year, AMTA releases one criminal or civil case packet to every college team in the country. The case packet includes all the necessary materials to try the case in a simulated legal trial.