Hillsdale College Mock Trial has re-stacked its teams in preparation for the spring season. 

Mock trial assigned its members to new teams in order to gain the best competitive edge possible, according to sophomore Chloe Noller. Last semester’s mock trial teams Scary Decisis, Rekt Judica, and De Novo Member have dissolved and reassembled into A, B, and C teams.

“The program is really working hard already,” Noller said. “We’ve had hours upon hours of drafting meetings over break, and we are buckling down for a fantastic competitive season.”

Seniors Justin Lee and Caleb Sampson will be captains of Team 1038 (A), while junior Natalie LeBlanc and sophomore Ashley Poole will be captains of Team 1039 (B), and freshmen Brennan Berryhill and Ella Lovins will be captains of Team 1040 (C). 

Before the first round of regionals begins in February, each team will participate in an invitational tournament. Team A will attend the Great Chicago Fire Invitational at the University of Chicago Jan. 20-21, while Teams B and C will compete at Indiana State University in the Indiana Hoosier Hoedown Invitational Jan. 27-28. 

The teams will then compete at regionals, which can qualify a team to advance to the Opening Round Championship Series. To qualify for ORCS, a team must earn a bid by winning sixth place or higher, according to Noller. Each bid allows a program to advance one of its teams, Lee said. Hillsdale’s goal is to earn two bids in order to advance the maximum number of teams. 

“While we are capable of receiving three bids, as we did last year, a single program may only send a maximum of two teams to their respective ORCS competition,” Noller said.

Regionals will take place Feb. 3-4 for Team C and Feb. 24-25 for Teams A and B. If mock trial earns two bids, two Hillsdale teams will compete at ORCS. As at regionals, Hillsdale’s goal at ORCS will be to receive two bids to continue on at the National American Mock Trial Tournament.

Hillsdale College Mock Trial made its first appearance at nationals in 2022, and last year the program made school history by sending both A and B teams to the competition. The team won fourth place overall and second place in its division. 

“It was a historic moment, as HCMT has only ever sent a team to Nationals only once before,” Noller said.

This year, the teams are preparing diligently to perform their best in the upcoming tournaments, according to Noller.

“It’s gonna be tough, the competition is good and everyone is working for those bids to nationals,” Noller said, “but so are we, and we are working hard. I’m excited.”