Mock Trial Team Advances in National Competition
The University of Scranton’s mock trial team will compete in the opening round American Mock Trial Association’s national tournament in Central Islip, New York, on March 9 and 10. Front row, from left, are team members Megan Bertrand, Veronica Sansone and Leticia Demps. Back row are team coach, Sidney Prejean, Esq.; team members Nicholas Velez; Margaret Westerman; co-captains Kimberly Shaw and Alexis Mergus; Zoe Rodriguez; Ryan Paolilli; and faculty advisor Jason Shrive, Esq., assistant professor in the sociology, criminal justice and criminology department.The University of Scranton’s mock trial team has secured a bid to the opening round of the championship series of the American Mock Trial Association for the first time after competing in the Association’s regional qualifier at Pennsylvania State University in February.
The American Mock Trial Association serves as the governing body for the intercollegiate mock trial competition and hosts 25 regional tournaments, followed by eight opening round championship tournaments and a national championship tournament. Each year, approximately 600 teams from more than 350 universities and colleges compete in the tournaments.
Scranton’s team, in just its fourth year of existence, was one of just seven teams to advance at the regional competition that included 21 teams from 15 colleges in Pennsylvania and New York.
The members of the team are: co-captains Kimberly Shaw of Hampstead, North Carolina, and Alexis Mergus of Closter, New Jersey; Megan Bertrand of East Windsor, New Jersey; Leticia Demps of Bronx, New York; Ryan Paolilli of Poughkeepsie, New York; Zoe Rodriguez of Fanwood, New Jersey; Veronica Sansone of North Wales; Nicholas Velez of Bronx, New York; Margaret Westerman of Massapequa, New York.
In addition to the team advancing, Bertrand and Demps received awards for Best Witness for their performance at the regional qualifier.
Jason A. Shrive, Esq., assistant professor in the sociology, criminal justice and criminology department, serves as the team’s faculty advisor. Sidney Prejean, Esq., is the team’s coach.
Scranton’s team will compete in the opening round of the championship series at the Suffolk County Courthouse in Central Islip, New York, on March 9 and 10.
