Students on the University of Delaware’s Mock Trial team won a series of competitions this year to make their way to the elite national championships of the American Mock Trial Association last month, where they placed eighth among 48 top teams.

In addition to the team’s success, member Ellie Wallace won one of the tournament’s All American Attorney awards and tied as the best collegiate mock trial attorney in the country.

The championships, held in Greenville, South Carolina, marked the second consecutive year that UD’s team has placed in the top 10, competing against many leading universities with long traditions in mock trial. The 2016 first-place winner was from Yale University, with the University of Virginia placing second.

The April 15-17 competition marked the final stage of a selection process that began with some 650 teams facing off in local and regional events across the United States for the right to move on to higher-level competitions. Ultimately, the 48 best teams met in South Carolina for the final rounds leading to the national championship.

In mock trial, teams are assigned a legal case and are given four weeks to prepare for a simulated trial, applying facts and law to develop a defense and prepare to perform such tasks as questioning and cross-examining witnesses. In presenting the case, students take on roles as attorneys and witnesses and perform as if they were in court. A panel of actual lawyers and judges scores each team based on the content and presentation of its case.

Members of the UD team that competed in the national event were Cody Reeves, Ellie Wallace, Kristina Biddle, Eric Holleran, Anne Grae Martin, Haley LaMontagne, Kristi Iannelli and Sarah Fritz. In the earlier regional competition, Katie Johnson also was a team member.

The American Mock Trial Association was founded in 1985 with the aim of helping participants develop critical thinking and public speaking skills as well as enhancing their knowledge of legal practices and procedures.