Published November 9, 2015
ULM’s Mock Trial teams competed in the Green and Gold Invitational this past weekend
at Baylor University in Waco, TX.
Allena Wiggers, senior finance major from Winnsboro, LA, was awarded Best Attorney
with the highest overall score of all attorneys in the competition. Adam Nettles,
junior political science major from Pineville, received a Best Attorney award and
Connor McCain, senior political science major from Winnsboro, won a Best Witness award.
Connor was the only student to win a best witness award from both the prosecution
and the defense side of the competition.
“Being recognized for my performance was an honor, especially after competing with
some of the top teams in the country, such as the University of Texas,” says Allena
Wiggers. “However, I couldn't have done it without the help of my coaches and teammates.”
ULM sent two teams to the competition, a Gold Team and a Maroon Team, to compete against
teams from Baylor University, Southern Methodist University, University of Texas at
Austin, Texas A&M University, University of Houston, Millsaps College, University
of Texas at Dallas, University of Saint Thomas, and Howard Payne University.
The Gold team finished with a 4-4 record, with wins against the University of Texas
at Dallas, Millsaps College, and Baylor University. The Gold Team was led by attorneys
Adam Nettles, Olivia Sage, Jordan Jones, and Sarah Hayes. Rounding out the Gold Team
and competing as witnesses were Jordan Johnson, Erin McManus, and Sarah Cheathem.
The Maroon Team was led by attorneys Allena Wiggers, Charles Dupree, Caleb Fenn, and
Carsyn Smallwood. The Maroon Team witnesses were Connor McCain, Kris Chamberlain,
Lauren Bertone, and Brianna Robertson. The ULM Maroon team finished with a 3-5 record,
with wins against Howard Payne University and University of Texas at Dallas. Dorae
Dadgar and Jeremy Jones also attended and participated for the tournament bye team.
“Both of our teams performed very well against some of the best Mock Trial programs
in the nation. I am honored to be awarded as Best Witness, but I could not have won
this award without the help from my directing attorneys Caleb Fenn and Charles Dupree,”
McCain says. “Our team has put in a lot of hard work and we are confident that we
produce results that reflect this work and represent ULM well.”
The squads are coached by attorneys Robert Noel and Kyle Moore, with assistance from
graduate student Gabriel Silva. “I am very proud of how our students performed in
their first competition of the year against some excellent schools,” said Noel.
ULM has been invited to compete in the Mid-South Invitational Mock Trial Tournament
hosted by Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro, TN on November 13-16,
the Jackson Joust hosted by Mississippi College in Jackson, MS, and the Argo Invitational
hosted by West Florida University in Pensacolam FL. ULM will host the 2nd Annual Warhawk Mock Trial Jamboree in the Spring on campus in the E. Orum Young Courtroom
situated alongside Bayou Desiard.
ULM is the only university in the state of Louisiana that has fielded an active AMTA-affiliated
mock trial team for the last three years. ULM is also the only university in the state
to have competed at the Opening Round Championship Series of the AMTA National Championship.
ULM’s Mock Trial Team was founded in 2013 by attorney Robert Noel, with assistance
from political science professors Dr. Joshua Stockley and Dr. John Sutherlin. “By
engaging in mock trial competitions with teams from other universities, students develop
the critical thinking and critical speaking skills, as well as the knowledge of actual
legal procedures, that are required to be successful in law school, graduate school,
or even life,” says Dr. Stockley.
The American Mock Trial Association was founded in 1985 and is the governing body
for intercollegiate mock trial competition. AMTA sponsors regional and national-level
competitions, as well as providing interesting and complex case materials for academic
use. Presently, AMTA hosts 24 regional tournaments, eight opening round championship
tournaments, and a national championship tournament each season. Approximately 600
teams from over 350 universities and colleges will compete in these tournaments.
