Mock Trial squad going to national championships

One of Cornell College’s Mock Trial squads has earned a bid to the National Championship Round of the American Mock Trial Association’s tournament. The championship round will take place at Hamline University in St. Paul, Minn., April 13-15.

Cornell College's mock trial squad with the trophy they won on March 18.

The squad earned one of six spots in the tournament awarded at the Opening Round Championship Series in St. Louis on March 16-18. Junior James Hoeffgen earned one of 10 outstanding attorney awards and first-year Leonard Schlanger earned one of 14 outstanding witness awards.

So far, 48 bids have been awarded for the national tournament. Cornell is the second-smallest school so far to earn a bid and the only school so far from Iowa.

This is the third time Cornell College has sent a Mock Trial team to the national championship round. In 2010, Cornell finished sixth in the nation.