Places both teams in the top ten at this year's DC competition
November 2, 2005 - The University of Virginia Mock Trial Program began its season with a victory this past weekend, winning the Great American Mock Trial Invitational for the second year in a row and placing both of its teams in the top ten.
The Great American Mock Trial Invitational (GAMTI) took place in the E. Barrett Prettyman Federal Courthouse in Washington, D.C. The tournament is actually hosted by the University of Virginia Mock Trial program. This year's competition was coordinated by UVa student Samantha Bateman and directed by UVa Coach and AMTA Board member David Cross. GAMTI featured 26 teams from all over the country, including teams from several programs which finished in the top ten at the 2005 National Championship Tournament.
The last time Team 972 competed was at the 2005 Championship Tournament, where it finished with a 7-1 record and tied for first place in its division. Hoping to continue last season's success, 972 faced Columbia 514 in an outstanding first round. After splitting the first round ballots, 972 charged through the remaining three rounds, including back-to-back rounds with Maryland 668 under a new AMTA rule allowing repeat match-ups on different sides. After two hard-fought days of competition, team 972 finished the tournament in first place with a 7-1 record and a total point differential of +73.
Samantha Bateman and Daniel Young both won Outstanding Attorney awards, continuing a pattern they established at the 2005 National Championship when both won All-American Attorney awards. Mostafa Abdelkarim took home an Outstanding Witness Award.
Equally as exciting was team 973's stellar performance. With four of its six members as first year mockers, team 973 won 4.5 ballots to finish the tournament in ninth place. The only other school at GAMTI to place two teams in the top ten was Furman University, which placed two teams in the top ten at the 2005 National Championship. As though to illustrate how unpredictable mock trial can be, 973 actually tied three of its ballots - coming within 3 points of a 6-2 finish in its first invitational tournament. 973 faced stiff competition in matches against Texas, USC, and George Washington.
First-year student Ryann Burke, in her first ever collegiate mock trial competition, took home an Outstanding Attorney Award with a phenomenal 18 ranks.
UVa now begins preparing for two tournaments the week of November 18th. Team 972 will be heading south to Memphis for its first ever appearance at the Rhodes Blues City Challenge; Team 973 heads north for its debut at the University of Pennsylvania Quaker Classic.smrtovnice