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Howard Payne University wins SMU Law Tournament; UNT takes Top Speaker

On March 3, 2017, 56 undergraduate moot court competitors approached the steps of SMU’s Underwood Law Library to participate in the last TUMCA moot court tournament of the 2016-2017 season. The SMU Dedman School of Law Tournament has become an annual tradition for TUMCA competitors and has been hosted by SMU Law’s Student Moot Court Board each year.

This year, 28 teams from nine different schools participated including students from: Hardin-Simmons University, Howard Payne University, Stephen F. Austin University, Tarrant County College, Texas A&M University, University of Dallas, University of Louisiana – Lafayette, University of North Texas, and University of Texas – Dallas.

TUMCA has witnessed some of its most brilliant competition in the 2016-2017 season, and the competition did not fall short at the SMU Dedman Tournament. In fact, out of 28 teams, only eight teams could break to out rounds on the second day. Due to the high level of competition, seven out of eight teams who broke to the second day had to have three straight wins on the first day of the tournament. The eighth team had to have two wins, one tie, and the toughest strength of schedule.

Making it past the brutal elimination of the first day, quarter-finals, and semi-finals, Rebeca Puente and Isaac Sommers from Howard Payne University versed Alexis Rickmers and Kristen DeWilde from the University of North Texas in the final round of the tournament. Puente and Sommers argued for Petitioner, while Rickmers and DeWilde argued for Respondent. In a close 3-2 ballot round, Rebeca Puente and Isaac Sommers took the SMU Dedman Champion title.

Tournament Champions Rebeca Puente and Isaac Sommers (on the right) with Tournament Finalists Alexis Rickmers and Kristen DeWilde (on the left) with judges from the final round.

In addition to those who made it to out rounds, the top ten orators at the tournament were recognized on the first day after three preliminary rounds. Eryn Mascia from the University of North Texas took Top Speaker. Listed below is a comprehensive list of the top ten orators:

  1. Eryn Mascia – University of North Texas

  2. Isaac Sommers – Howard Payne University

  3. Kristen DeWilde – University of North Texas

  4. Heather Reed – University of North Texas

  5. Blacin Doucet – University of Louisiana Lafayette

  6. Cameron Cerf – University of North Texas

  7. Mia Tolliver – University of Louisiana Lafayette

  8. Sarah Colley – Texas A&M University

  9. Jordan Hahn – Howard Payne University

  10. Sannika Reddy – Texas A&M University

Big congratulations also goes out to all of those who made it to quarter-finals and semi-finals as listed below:

Quarter-Finalists:

  • Nathan Cash and Audrey Haddox – Hardin-Simmons University

  • Sannika Reddy and Marcos DeHoyos – Texas A&M University

  • Aaron Lozano and Jessica Browning – Texas A&M University

  • Juan Luna and Sarah Colley – Texas A&M University

Semi-Finalists:

  • Mia Tolliver and Blacin Doucet – University of Louisiana - Lafayette

  • Cameron Cerf and Eryn Mascia – University of North Texas

For all tournament results, team rankings, and speaker rankings, you can visit our tournaments page. To see more photos from each tournament, you can visit our gallery page. If you’d like to find out more about how you can get involved with TUMCA Moot Court, please contact tumca2016@gmail.com. If you’d like to get in touch with coaches from a specific school, please visit our coaches page.


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