By Tucker Reilly, News Assignment Editor
St. Bonaventure University’s mock trial team has achieved a string of successes to begin the new year. The team finished in fourth place at the Bonaventure-hosted Friar Faceoff Tournament on Jan. 30-31 and took fifth place at AMTA Regional Tournament 1-D on Feb. 5-7 – earning a bid to the Opening Round Championship Series Tournament in the process.
Leah Gale, a sophomore criminology major and director of this year’s Friar Faceoff, described how the team dealt with the new challenges that came from holding entirely-online Mock Trial tournaments.
“It was honestly very stressful at first,” said Gale. “We only had a little bit of knowledge about how to run things in this format; although last year I was the assistant director, so I had a little experience. We came up with a great plan of how to run everything and I had a good team as well who was really helpful. We didn’t have many setbacks and overall it went super smoothly. It was exciting to have something I worked on so hard go so well. It was a really amazing feeling.”
While the circumstances of competition have changed, Bonaventure’s debate team remains confident in the strategies and connections that have worked in the past, according to senior philosophy major and program president Hannah Merges.
“It’s definitely super different for us all,” said Merges. “We are used to learning our positioning in the courtroom, as well as standing and sitting out of respect for the judges and that’s not something we are dealing with this year. There is a certain type of bond that we facilitate with [our time and preparation], but I think we have done a good job creating that bond with the newcomers despite our physical distance.”
The largest change, according to Merges, is the use of technology, a strongly-prohibited resource in in-person competitions. While virtual tournaments bring much change, these restrictions remain central to tournament proceedings.
“We are strictly prohibited from using any type of technology during rounds during the normal season. This is mainly to prohibit contact with anyone who is not on the team’s roster, which is a rule that still remains in place,” said Merges.
Along with the team’s overall placement in tournaments, many individual team members received awards and accolades. Across the two events, team members Hannah Merges, Ian Joseph, Daniel Bakowski, Makenna McCartney, Hanna Oleski and Maya Henderson were all named Outstanding Witnesses or Outstanding Attorneys.
According to Merges, these awards are an extension of the team’s training and preparation.
“I think the awards we have won show just how much work we have all put in,” said Merges. “A lot of us will go from being an attorney one round to being a witness in the next. It’s a really cool thing we are able to do because of the amount of talent on the team.”
The team also received an Honorable Mention for the Spirit of AMTA Award at the Regional Tournament, a mark given to teams that “exemplify civility, justice, and fair play,” according to the American Mock Trial Association.
“[As for the Spirit of AMTA Award], as the president of this program and co-captain of this team, that makes me the most proud out of any recognition,” said Merges. “As Bonnies, we treat every team we meet with respect and care. [Dr. Steven Nuttal, associate professor of philosophy and Mock Trial program advisor] has instilled the importance of civility and fair play more than anything else, in all of us, creating one of the strongest types of teams: a team that is kind above all else but is still extremely competitive.”
While the year is still young, Gale is proud of what she has seen from her teammates, and thankful that the bonds held between them remain strong.
“I am so, so proud of my team,” said Gale. “We have a good mix of returners and newbies, and it’s so exciting to see everyone do so well. Our team is very close and we love competing with each other. Positive attitudes and enjoyment of what we’re doing really drives us forward, and it’s so amazing to be a part of. We couldn’t do any of it without our coaches, and we are so grateful for them, all three of them are just amazing. We’re so blessed.”
With their recent fifth-place finish at the Regional Tournament granting them a path to ORCS, the future appears bright for Bonaventure’s Mock Trial Team.
“I didn’t want my last closing argument to be my last closing argument in my college career, I’m ready for another,” said Merges. “AMTA has not announced anything about how the Nationals competition will be handled, but we anticipate it will be online as well. I am grateful to our coaches for how much time they put into this, and I love this team; mock trial has been my escape for the last four years and I am so grateful for the opportunity to continue to compete. The possibilities are endless.”
