For the second year in a row and the third time in history, Rutgers Mock Trial advances to the National Championship Tournament after taking third place at the Wilmington ORCS in Delaware. With a record of 6-2 and a competitive score (CS) of 15.5, Rutgers will be one of the top 48 teams in the country competing in Minneapolis, Minnesota for the National Championship.
Rutgers faced fierce competition from Florida International University, Howard University, Kansas State University, and last year’s National Champions, University of Virginia. The A team won both ballots in rounds against FIU and KSU, and split with HU and UVA. A-Team captain Michael Nanchanatt comments on the success of this weekend: "Last weekend was great. We went against some of the best teams in the country, including the defending national champions. We ended up placing 3rd overall and are really excited to get to Nationals for the third time in Rutgers history." Congratulations to Mike Kleynman for his All-National Attorney Award with 18 ranks!
Top, left to right: Head Coach Michael Roberts, Christine Botvinnik, Humayoon Hashmi, Katie Dale, Robert Servilio, Mike Kleynman
Bottom, left to right: President Nicoletta Eby, A-Team Captain Michael Nanchanatt, Rohit Purma, Coach Anish Patel
RUMTA’s B-Team also had a strong showing at Wilmington ORCs, competing in rounds against University of Wisconsin, Howard University, and Patrick Henry University. It was the first time in two years that RUMTA sent two teams to ORCs, and with a team of mostly first-year competitors, the B-Team had a strong performance against serious competition. B-Team captain Anu Chugh comments on the weekend: "I am so proud of this team for making it to such a high level of competition. We have such a bright future ahead and I couldn't be more impressed with how well we performed this weekend." Congratulations to first-year competitors Karan Malhotra and Michelle Fishman for their All-National Attorney and Witness Awards!
Top, left to right: Aabha Joshi, Coach Zaniah Maynor, Coach Rachel Holt, Michelle Fishman
Middle: Zoe Chang, Hasin Tasneem, Shivangi Patel
Bottom: Karan Malhotra, B-Team Captain Anu Chugh, Lucy Huang
President Nicoletta Eby comments on RUMTA's successful weekend: "I am so proud that our team has earned a spot among the top 48 teams in the country for the third time in RUMTA history. It's a testament to the hard work and dedication of our members, coaches, and sponsors. It is an especially important occasion to return to Minneapolis for Nationals, as our team placed second in the entire nation in the same city at the 2012 National Championship. We are looking forward to a strong finish of our season."
Left to right: President Nicoletta Eby, Head Coach Michael Roberts, A-Team Captain Michael Nanchanatt
RUMTA would like to thank our dedicated coaching staff and sponsors for your continued guidance and unwavering support. Special thanks to Head Coach Michael Roberts, Esq. and Assistant Coaches Zaniah Maynor and Rachel Holt for your time and commitment to this team.
The 34th AMTA National Championship Tournament will be held in Minneapolis, Minnesota on April 20-22, hosted by Hamline University. Stay tuned for more RUMTA updates and exciting news on the journey to Nationals!