Three students in the Elon Mock Trial program earned awards for their work as witnesses at the Regional competition.
At the American Mock Trial Association’s Regional tournament, hosted by the University of North Carolina at Charlotte on Feb. 13-15, three Elon Mock Trial students won awards for their work as witnesses.
The Mock Trial program is housed in the Department of Political Science and Public Policy as part of the Legal Professions program and is coordinated by Elisha Savchak-Trogdon, associate professor of political science and public policy.
Political science and public policy double major Isabel Schimpff ‘29 and public health and public policy double major Lydia Credle ‘27 took home outstanding witness awards. Elementary and special education major and Teaching Fellow Natalie Marmelstein ‘29 was named the tournament’s top-ranked witness, receiving a perfect score of 20 ranks.
Marmelstein said she felt nervous going into the tournament after spending Winter Term away from campus and competing for the first time as an expert witness. She described her surprise at the result, calling herself “my own toughest critic.”
“When they announced a perfect score, I was genuinely speechless,” Marmelstein said. “I had gone into the ceremony just hoping I’d made my coach and team proud; I never anticipated that kind of validation. I’d made a few mistakes and had mentally taken winning off the table. To come away with a perfect score was a surreal reminder to never count yourself out.”
Schimpff also recounted her Regionals experience, highlighting the supportive energy that the Mock Trial team members bring to one another at competitions.
“Being able to walk up onto the stage and represent Elon felt amazing, but what felt even better was that every single member of the team congratulated me in some way after,” Schimpff said. “That’s solidified what I had already known, which is that this team is something special.”
Adjunct competitive teams coach Kristen DelForge reflected on the program’s success during this year’s competition season. In addition to three wins at Regionals, several students in the program won awards at invitational tournaments. Public policy and strategic communications double major and Mock Trial president Alexa Jimeno ‘27, and political science and strategic communications double major Olivia Villanueva ‘28 earned outstanding attorney awards. Political science major Matthew Almonte ‘28 earned an outstanding witness award.
At the Davidson College invitational tournament, the entire team was recognized for displaying fair play, civility and justice, an award voted on by peers.
“When I say we are a mock family, we mean it. But not just this team – our entire network of Elon Mock alums,” DelForge said. “We also say mock love is real love, and we mean that too. The team takes care of one another, inside and outside of the courtroom – during and after their mock trial competition years. My students mean the world to me, even after they graduate and I love every bit of being Elon’s mock trial coach.”
Elon University competes in the American Mock Trial Association, which creates a new case each year for mock trial students. Teams prepare both sides of the case and attend tournaments where they compete againstother universities and colleges. This year’s criminal case, called State v. Charlie Martin, circulates around whether the Defendant, Charlie Martin, intentionally killed a fellow game show competitor.
DelForge describes mock trial as a varsity academic sport because of the significant amount of time and effort students need to put in to maintain their team’s success. The program teaches them how to prepare opening and closing arguments, direct examinations, cross examinations and witness roles. Students also learn how to communicate arguments grounded in case law and rules of evidence.
“Mock trial not only prepares you for law school, but also reinforces many life skills like working in team and individual settings, honing public speaking skills and learning how to disagree in a respectful manner,” DelForge said.
Each year, the Mock Trial program competes in invitational tournaments in the fall and the regional tournament in February. Students who advance from Regionals move on to the Opening Round Championships. While they did not advance this year, DelForge noted that the program did last year and in previous years.