Source: LeAnn Brazeal, 785-341-4124, lbrazeal@k-state.edu
Note to editors: Kayla Lee is a graduate of Garden City High School and Nikki Marcotte is a graduate of Riley County High School.

Friday, Feb. 26, 2010

K-STATE MOCK TRIAL TEAM EARNS BID TO CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES

MANHATTAN -- Kansas State University's Mock Trial Team has qualified for its first-ever trip to the American Mock Trial Association's Championship Series.

The team earned its bid by placing fourth out of 23 teams at the association's regional tournament, Feb. 19-21, hosted by Washburn University.

Team members Kelsey Heft, senior in political science and pre-law, Greensburg, and Nikki Marcotte, senior in philosophy and pre-law, Manhattan, received All-Region Outstanding Witness awards. Marcotte also received an All-Region Outstanding Attorney Award and was one of only two students recognized for both attorney and witness roles.

"This is an impressive performance for such a new team," said LeAnn Brazeal, the team's faculty adviser and an associate professor of communication studies, theater and dance at K-State. "Our students have worked very hard to put K-State on the map, and this is a great step forward."

The Mock Trial Team is in just its second year of competition, and this was the team's first-ever appearance at a regional tournament. The team is open to students in any major. The team's attorney-coach is Ryan Rosauer of local law firm Weary Davis L.C., and Brazeal serves as its educator-coach.

K-State's opening round of the Championship Series will be March 12-14 in St. Louis, Mo.

Along with Heft and Marcotte, team members include:

Kayla Lee, junior in communication studies, Manhattan; Aaron Friess, junior in sociology, McPherson, team captain; David Starshak, senior in political science, Shawnee; and J. Colin Reynolds, freshman in communication studies, Topeka.

From out of state: Danielle Huskey, sophomore in apparel and textiles, Osage Beach, Mo.