(Posted September 7, 2023)

Juniata College’s nationally-ranked Mock Trial team is preparing for its sixth season. Members include, front row, from the left, assistant coach Jordyn Ney, Erin Fenn ’27, Ashley Meza ’27, Shaelynn Langille ’25, Katie Troxell ’27, Gracie Ruch ’26, Charlotte Crane ’26, coach David Andrews ’74; second row, Regan Farringer ’27, Max Oley ’25, Taahirah Smith ’27, Maggie Carlson ’27, team captain Alexa Sanna ’24, Rich Wei ’25, team captain Olivia Day ’24; third row, Natasha Harris ’27, Kate Upton ’27, Estelle Miller ’27, Elijah Wright ’27, Kyle Boyer ’24,Theo McWilliams ’27, Chantal Larbie ’27; fourth row, Sage Winters ’27, Bryce Garland ’27, team captain Daniel Cummins ’24, Alyssa Clark ’27, team captain Quintin Ioime ’24, and Cole Gross ’26.

Photo by Maggie Eckroat '26

Juniata College’s nationally-ranked Mock Trial team is preparing for its sixth season. Members include, front row, from the left, assistant coach Jordyn Ney, Erin Fenn ’27, Ashley Meza ’27, Shaelynn Langille ’25, Katie Troxell ’27, Gracie Ruch ’26, Charlotte Crane ’26, coach David Andrews ’74; second row, Regan Farringer ’27, Max Oley ’25, Taahirah Smith ’27, Maggie Carlson ’27, team captain Alexa Sanna ’24, Rich Wei ’25, team captain Olivia Day ’24; third row, Natasha Harris ’27, Kate Upton ’27, Estelle Miller ’27, Elijah Wright ’27, Kyle Boyer ’24,Theo McWilliams ’27, Chantal Larbie ’27; fourth row, Sage Winters ’27, Bryce Garland ’27, team captain Daniel Cummins ’24, Alyssa Clark ’27, team captain Quintin Ioime ’24, and Cole Gross ’26.

Photo by Maggie Eckroat '26

HUNTINGDON, Pa. — The “Legal Eagles,” Juniata College’s nationally-ranked Mock Trial Team will open its sixth season ranked 38th in the country among the 700 teams competing in the American Mock Trial Association (AMTA) competition.  

“It is a testament to our national prominence that we have been invited to top Tournaments across the country this year, including the Notre Dame Golden Dome Invitational, the Cornell Big Red Classic, The Ramblin’ Wreck Invitational in Atlanta, the Battle of the Bayou in New Orleans, and the Boston Mockathon,” said Attorney David Andrews ’74, coach of Juniata’s Mock Trial Team.  

Governed by the AMTA, Mock Trial is an academic competition in which students assume the roles of attorneys and witnesses in a trial. Teams compete against other colleges and universities. In competition, each team tries the case four times, twice as prosecution and twice as defense.  

The AMTA released this year’s case in early August. All teams are given the same information, and witnesses must stick to the affidavit provided, but the ways different teams interpret the information highlight and challenge each member’s ability to adapt, problem-solve, and think on their feet. This year, teams will face off in a complex criminal case, State of Midlands v. B.F. De la Porta and Poe Cameron, which was developed specifically for this competition. In the case, the defendants are charged with causing injury to a security guard who was hurt during a heist of valuable auction items at a charity event. 

Captains of the Juniata College Mock Trial Team are Dan Cummins ’24 of Clarks Summit, Pa.; Olivia Day ’24 of Duncansville, Pa.; Alex Sanna ’24 of Hummelstown, Pa.; and Quintin Ioime ’24 of Hamden, Ct. Team members are Kyle Boyer ’24 of Lewistown, Pa.; Maggie Carlson ’27 of Shelton, Ct.; Alyssa Clark ’27 of Altoona Pa.; Charlotte Crane ’26 of Henrico, Va.; Regan Farringer ’27 of Hollidaysburg Pa.; Erin Fenn ’27 of Philadelphia Pa.; Brooke Franke ’24 of Shermans Dale, Pa.; Bryce Garland ’27 of McConnellsburg, Pa.; Cole Gross ’26 of Bedford, Pa.; Natasha Harris ’27 of Allentown, Pa.; Madison Hess ’26 of Waynesboro, Pa.; Shealynn Langille ’25 ofStewartstown, Pa; Chantal Larbie ’27 of Burlington, NJ; Katherine McGrath ’27 of Lititz, Pa.; Theo McWilliams ’27 of York, Pa.; Zoe Merkel ’27 of Leesport, Pa.; Ashley Meza ’27 ofPhillipsburg, NJ; Estelle Miller ’27 of Saxton, Pa.; Max Oley ’25 of Richmond, Va.; Gracie Ruch ’25 of Tower City, Pa.; Alyvyah Scott ’27 of Huntingdon, Pa.; Taahirah Smith ’27 of Philadelphia, Pa.; Katie Troxell ’27 of Johnstown, Pa.; Kate Upton ’27 of Rockville, Md.; Rich Wei ’26 of Altoona, Pa.; Sage Winters ’26 of Harrisburg, Pa.; and Elijah Wright ’27 of Washington, D.C.  

Contact April Feagley at feaglea@juniata.edu or (814) 641-3131 for more information.